


The Truth Behind the Name pt6

by KusanoSaku



Series: The Truth Behind the Name and the Lies [6]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Adult/Teen relationship, Angst, Blood Adoption, Depression, Drugged Sex, F/M, Family Bonding, Family Drama, Forced Pregnancy, Half-Blood Prince AU, Horcrux Hunting, Horcrux related Visions/Dreams, Horcruxes, Implied Future Femslash, Implied/Referenced Divorce, Luna is Harry's sister, M/M, Manipulative Dumbledore, Mental Health Issues, Minor Character Death, Multi, Past Child Abuse, Past Relationship(s), Polyfidelity Triad, Referenced Child Neglect, Referenced Mpreg, Seer Blaise, Shotgun Wedding, Teenage Parents, Teenage Pregnancy, Threesome - M/M/M, Unplanned Pregnancy, Veela Blaise
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-12
Updated: 2017-12-06
Packaged: 2017-12-19 05:39:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage
Chapters: 30
Words: 96,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/880066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KusanoSaku/pseuds/KusanoSaku
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I would like to thank my incredibly patient Beta BAFan. She is amazing and if this story and series improves at all, she deserves the credit.</p></blockquote>





	1. Draco's plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to thank my incredibly patient Beta BAFan. She is amazing and if this story and series improves at all, she deserves the credit.

Title: The Truth Behind the Name and the Lies pt. 6

Pairing: DracoxHarry, OliverxPercy, twincest? Ect.

Fandom: HP

Notes: An abused boy finds out he's a wizard and a hero; his tormented mind rebels. One person sees through the misconceptions to the real Harry and treats him the way he deserves. How does this change them both and those around them?

 

**Chapter 1: Draco's Plan**

 

School had been let out for the summer three days ago for most students at Hogwarts. As for Draco, Harry, Blaise and Hermione, who had sat for their N.E.W.T.S back in May, if they passed they would be awarded Certificates of Completion by Minerva McGonagall, Headmistress

 

Draco had asked his father, Severus, Blaise and Hermione to meet him in the drawing room vault at Malfoy Manor three days after their release from Hogwarts. In the vault were the remains of the first Horcrux they'd found: Voldemort's diary.

 

He paced, waiting for them.

 

Lucius showed up first, drinking a steaming cup of coffee that no doubt had a refill charm.  Draco knew his father hated getting up to refill a glass of anything and resented calling a house elf if it wasn't absolutely necessary.

 

Soon Hermione came down the stairs; she'd chosen to stay at the Manor for a few days since Draco's birthday was tomorrow.

 

Blaise and Severus for some inexplicable reason arrived together.

 

Draco put his hands in his robes, an unconscious imitation of his godfather. "I called you here to discuss something of eminent importance."

 

Severus snorted.

 

Draco glared at him but continued, "We know of course that I will pass my N.E.W.T.S with high marks, as will Harry, Hermione and Blaise."

 

The others merely nodded.

 

Draco sighed. "I still want to be a solicitor and eventually join Percy's department, but I have more pressing matters to attend to before I can focus on that: the Horcruxes. I am convinced that as dangerous as they are to create, the Dark Lord made more than just Nagini, the diary," - waving in the vague direction of it - "and Harry, but I am suspicious that Harry was an accident."

 

Severus looked thoughtful. "An accident? How so?"

 

"The creation requires a supreme act of evil, I believe. What would be more evil than murdering a parent protecting their child and the attempted murder of a true innocent; an infant

 

Hermione's eyes widened in comprehension. "Of course."

 

"The rebounding curse nearly killed the Dark Lord, leaving him weak but not whole enough to die."

 

"So, then a piece of his already fractured soul broke off and latched onto the closest living thing: Harry." Severus' brilliance shone fiercely as he realised what Draco meant.

 

Draco nodded. "I don't know how many Horcruxes there are. If he was using them to ensure his own immortality, then there must be more out there."

 

"So instead of truly studying to be a solicitor you will be hunting down and destroying Horcruxes," Lucius said, his heart swelling with pride but also with fear.

 

"Precisely," Draco said dryly. "Not that I will be informing Adder of that, and I ask that you not inform him either."

 

Severus winced. "You do know that he will be very angry with you for keeping this from him when he finds out."

 

Draco twisted his fingers in his robes. "I would rather not have my bondmate worrying every time I left the Abbey that I might be doing something dangerous."

 

"What do you need from us besides silence?" Blaise grumbled, not liking this plan all that much but seeing the necessity of most of it.

 

"Your assistance.  Uncle Sev can remove all the books pertaining to Horcruxes from the library at Hogwarts. Hermione can help me with research. Blaise - "

 

"I know, you want me to use my powers to attempt to see into the past to discover anything about Voldemort and his Horcruxes." A duty he was not looking forward to at all; he'd never had a vision of the past before anyway.

 

"What about me?" Lucius asked, curious.

 

"Father, when we uncover possible locations, I want you to go with me to retrieve them."

 

Lucius went pale; a hard request but he would not want Draco to face that danger alone. He knew that his choice to side with his powerful son had led him here. He nodded sharply, "As you wish."

 

"Very well, we'll begin the day after tomorrow. The Manor is a heavily warded place; this vault is unplottable and we know once closed it can only be opened by someone of Malfoy blood."

 

When Bellatrix had attacked the Manor with Rabastan and Rodolphus, his mother had been alone. She could not open the vault without the assistance of his baby sister. The house elves had helped her bring Aurelian, Lucan, Artemis, Tritan, Athena, Perseus and Carina into the Vault. Mother had had the house elves bring in nappies, clean clothes and bottles before sending Stria after father and closing the Vault.

 

Father had sent Stria after Charlie, used his status as a Hogwarts Governor to cancel Remus' and Severus' classes. With Remus, Severus, Charlie, Father, Hermione, Blaise, Neville, Adder and himself, they'd defended the Manor.

 

Rodolphus had perished but Rabastan and Bellatrix escaped.

 

The Manor had suffered only superficial damage since Mother had activated a ward Father told her about when Draco was born.

 

Malfoy Manor was at that time the second most warded location in Britain, behind Hogwarts and ahead of the Ministry. Now it was third, after Laude Abbey, the ancestral home of the Potters, the descendants of the youngest Peverell brother. Father and Uncle Sev had heavily warded the Abbey when it was chosen as his and Harry's home.

 

The ward Mother activated reluctantly but desperately with the blood of his sister had sealed the Manor to all but those of Malfoy blood. It could only be released with the proper incantation spoken by the Head of the Malfoy Family and his blood.

 

Draco knew that it had been the longest two hours of his mother's life. Though Carina was perfectly healthy, the act of shedding her daughter's blood rattled her far more than the attack on her home. What choice had she had?  Only a true Malfoy could open the Vault and the Manor could only be sealed with Malfoy blood. Adopted though Blaise was, his children's blood could not be used. Mother could have used Artemis' or Tritan's but Carina was the elder Heiress. Mother had spent two days in bed crying before she could forgive herself by putting it out of her mind.

 

Father had cast the Fidelius Charm on the Manor making Mother, who never left, Secret Keeper but she immediately flooed everyone in the family to the Manor. The babies were too young but could be brought through by someone with the secret but not used to access the Fidelius-charmed home by someone without the secret.

 

Severus made Hermione Secret Keeper of Wisteria, knowing she would be the least suspect and one of the most likely to be able to defend herself despite her age.

 

Fleur was Secret-Keeper for Shell Cottage, Blaise for Eagle's Nest, Harry for Laude Abbey and Charity for Grimmauld, while Ted served as Secret Keeper for both his house, Lavender Vale, and his daughter's home.

 

Bellatrix had brought the war to Malfoy Manor and things would never be the same…

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll? What do you think?


	2. Blaise seeks advice and instruction from the Centaurs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my wonderful and extremely patient Beta BAFan, if this story improves it is thanks to her!

Title: The Truth Behind the Name and the Lies pt. 6

Pairing: DracoxHarry, OliverxPercy, twincest? Ect.

Fandom: HP

Notes: An abused boy finds out he's a wizard and a hero; his tormented mind rebels. One person sees through the misconceptions to the real Harry and treats him the way he deserves. How does this change them both and those around them?

 

**Chapter 2- Blaise seeks advice and instruction from the Centaurs**

The day after Draco's sixteenth birthday, Blaise flooed into Hogwarts, exiting Severus' office floo in the Dungeon, avoiding anyone who might still be in the castle and making his way to the Forbidden Forest. Weaving his way through the tree and ignoring the paths, he headed for the Centaurs' camp. 

 

Firenze met him. "Little Eagle, what brings you to school?"

 

"The Dragon charged me with a task, and I am unsure how I am to fulfil it," Blaise said as he sat on a tree stump.

 

"Tell me what it is?"

 

Blaise sighed.  "He wants me to use my Seer abilities to look into the past. I've never had a vision of the past before. I've never even tried to See before; my prophecy and my visions just happened. Soon I was Seeing just before or just as they happened, but most of my visions are more in the future."

 

"Your abilities are growing stronger, Little Eagle. The past will open itself to you when it is time. You See through time as if through water, Veela."

 

"Relying so much on my Seer abilities seems foolish. You mentioned that prophecy is fluid, what if my - "

 

"Your abilities are beyond teaching.  I see that since your prophecy you are more in touch with time and Fate. We can only guide you and teach you how to cope with the visions you will soon begin to See. These are dangerous times, Little Eagle, you must prepare yourself. Without school to distract your magic - "

 

"I'll have more visions?" Blaise asked with a shiver.

 

"Yes, youngling.  Your mate will look after you, trust him."

 

Blaise flushed. "I do.  I lost a chick this past spring.  Our son, little Gregorio Nicolai Zabini; we named him for my birth parents."

 

"We heard your wails of sorrow and mourned with you." Firenze patted his shoulder. "It's a terrible thing to lose a foal; I lost one myself."

 

"I did everything right," Blaise whispered. "We kept them all warm and I held them often while I talked to them and I still lost him!"  He keened with anguish.

 

"Hush, little Eagle, these things happen."

 

Bane, another Centaur appeared from behind a tree and drew near addressing Blaise as if he had overheard their conversation. "The foal perished because the shell was cracked during the attack and it began to weaken."

 

Blaise sobbed, "Maybe if we'd fought harder, left the castle sooner!"

 

"No, it was beyond your control, Veela. I remember how Firenze blamed himself ."

 

"So there are no female Centaurs? Scamander speculated that. Though he did consider you hid them away to protect them from males of other species," Blaise said between chest-wracking sobs.

 

"There have never been female Centaurs, any more than female Fauns or Satyrs. We procreate amongst our own as we always have. We consider other species with females quite odd," Bane said stiffly. "Veelas procreating with Wizards proved to be their downfall and they find themselves dwindling."

 

Blaise nodded, wiping the tears from his face. "That's why there are none of my kind on these shores besides myself and Fleur, who were transplanted here, as well as our chicks."

 

"If your chicks mate, then you could resurrect the community," Firenze countered.

 

"I wonder.  Perseus, young as he is, is quite enamoured with the son of a werewolf."

 

"Another species treated poorly by wizards," Bane grumbled.

 

"You don't think much of wizards, Bane."

 

"My sire, Magorian's mate was killed by a Wizard," Bane glowered

 

"I see.  My birth father was killed by Italian Death Eaters, I believe. He was the Italian Ministry's equivalent of an Auror, as I understand."

 

"You should return home, Veela. It isn't safe for you to be away, especially with Dumbledore on the loose and plotting revenge."

 

"Question: you were aware that his Phoenix - "

 

"Is no such thing?" Bane replied. "Yes."

 

"How do we break his curse?"

 

"He was a terrible Wizard in his day, Veela."

 

Blaise glared at Bane.  No one deserved the kind of curse Dumbledore had put on the unknown wizard.  

 

But the dark centaur continued regardless. "Perhaps that is a question to be put before the Curse Breaker or the Potter filly, who is the daughter carried by two mothers." 

 

With that final piece of wisdom, Blaise left the Centaurs and returned home.

 

  
 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll? What do you think?


	3. Blaise has his first vision of the past and clings to his family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my wonderful, patient Beta BAFan. If the quality of my story improves, it is thanks to her hardwork.

Title: The Truth Behind the Name and the Lies pt. 6

Pairing: DracoxHarry, OliverxPercy, twincest? Ect.

Fandom: HP

Notes: An abused boy finds out he's a wizard and a hero; his tormented mind rebels. One person sees through the misconceptions to the real Harry and treats him the way he deserves. How does this change them both and those around them?

 

 

**Chapter 3- Blaise has his first vision of the past and clings to his family**

 

Blaise shivered with distaste as he watched a shady-acting teen wearing Slytherin robes follow Myrtle.  He recognised her somewhat; she wasn't transparent, so this was before she became a ghost, and she certainly wasn't ugly, no matter what she said Olive Hornby used to say about her. He wondered briefly if the girl had been cursed like Coraline was.

 

Myrtle was desperately trying not to cry, but the moment she entered the second-floor girls' bathroom and shut a stall door, she was sobbing.

 

The boy, who was clearly the future Dark Lord because he resembled the shade of Tom Riddle that had come from the diary Horcrux they destroyed during their Second Year, was pacing in front of the bathroom door, checking all directions before following Myrtle into the bathroom. He sneered as he glanced at the closed stall door before hissing "Open."

 

Not that Blaise actually understood Parseltongue; he merely recognised the hiss because Harry had used it when they too entered the Chamber of Secrets. The Chamber opened in the same awe-inspiring way, and he both smelt and heard the Basilisk as it began to slither up the pipe. Blaise turned away, not even daring to test whether or not it might affect him; he had his mate and his four chicks to worry about.

 

When the smell of the Basilisk was strongest, he heard a sniffling Myrtle crack open the door of her stall. "This is the girls' bathroom. Get out."

 

Riddle responded with a hiss that sent a shiver through Blaise's body.

 

The Basilisk must have looked into Myrtle's eyes because she stiffened briefly and drifted to the floor like falling paper. He saw the life drain from her eyes within mere seconds. The teen hissed a dreadful string of sounds that must be an incantation after Blaise heard the entrance to the Chamber close.

 

Blaise turned away from the pathetic form of the innocent girl to see the teen hiss with pain as something was torn from his body. It had a dark glimmer before it sank into the closest object, a familiar object: the diary.  Then, shockingly, not five minutes after the boy left, the familiar ghostly form of Moaning Myrtle emerged from the crumpled-up corpse and hovered over her body.

 

XoooooX

 

Blaise woke, shaking; it was morning, thankfully. This duty and ability were dreadful at times, but it was clearly his first vision of the past. He dressed, forcing the memory aside while he dressed and changed his children for the day.

 

Perseus pouted, trying to go back to sleep, but Athena was wide-awake.  She held out her hands. "Papa."

 

"Morning, Princess," Blaise said, lifting her up and cuddling her.

 

"Papa sad," Athena said, frowning and reaching up to pat his face. 

Blaise knew from Hermione that Magical babies seemed to mature faster and be more verbal or mobile at an accelerated rate. She had expressed surprise after exposure to Draco’s sister, Carina, as well as Uncle Severus’ children, Aurelian and Lucan, so she'd compared books on babies both Magical and Muggle.

 

Blaise smiled. "Papa happy now."

 

Athena shook her head. "Eye sad, Papa."

 

"You're one smart cookie, Athena. Papa had a bad dream."

 

"Dadi mae go 'way?"

 

Blaise chuckled. "Daddy did scare away the dream." He didn’t want to worry Athena, so he told a slight fib.  If it had been earlier, Blaise would have curled up against Charlie for comfort.

 

"Good," Perseus said, his voice muffled in his blanket.

 

"Dadi bwave," Athena said, cuddling before saying, "'Thena hunwi."

 

"Pers too," Perseus announced, sitting up on his own and not wanting to be outdone by his sister. "Pers too!"

 

Charlie came in yawning. "You're up early."

 

Athena turned her head, holding out her arms. "Dadi!"

 

Perseus stood on unsteady legs, calling out, "Dadi, me!"

 

Charlie kissed the top of Athena's head before picking up Perseus. "I think they're hungry."

 

Blaise moved to give his mate a kiss. "We should get Alethea and Taurus."  There was whimpering coming from the next room. 

 

Charlie held out his arm for Athena. "I'll take them down and get them some breakfast."

 

Blaise handed off his eldest daughter. "I'll hurry, little ones."

 

"Dadi, 'Thena hunwi."

 

"Pers too!"

 

Charlie laughed. "Then Daddy will make sure you get something good." 

 

Blaise chuckled, before going to fetch the two littlest ones.

 

XoooooX

 

Draco woke hearing crying from the nursery at their home, Laude Abbey.  He kissed Harry's cheek and put on a robe to check on the twins.  Orion was lying beneath the window. His head came up and he yipped softly. 

Draco chuckled, "Are you watching our babies, Orion?  Good boy."

 

Tritan was thrashing and crying. 

 

Draco scooped him up. "Morning, Tritan, what's wrong?" He sniffed, wrinkling his nose. "I see. You need a new nappy." He unbuttoned his son's sleep suit and removed the dirty nappy. Using a clean wipe to clean the mess from his son's bottom, he wandlessly summoned a clean nappy. He quickly powdered Tritan and put on the fresh nappy, then he summoned Dobby.

 

"Yes, Master Draco?"

 

"Dispose of that."  He held Tritan close to his chest as he went to choose an outfit.  He found green linen shorts and a white cotton shirt. He dressed his son and then put a pair of socks knitted by his godmother, Hermione, on him.

 

Harry wandered in, yawning.  Tritan held out his hands, babbling.

 

Draco chuckled, "Looks like our son is hungry.'

 

Harry smiled, taking a seat in the rocking chair that Narcissa had picked out for him. 'Give him here.' Opening his silk pyjama top so Tritan could feed.

 

Draco placed their son in his bondmate's arms, kissing him lightly before going to wake Artemis.  She cried, pushing at his hands.  Draco laughed.  'This one doesn't want to get up.  She must be your daughter.'

 

Harry snickered.  'That's your daughter too.  I remember when we conceived them; you were quite insistent on having me.'

 

'I remember you begging me to have you, Adder,' Draco teased as he dressed and changed a cranky Artemis.

 

Orion padded over to sit at Harry's feet, his tail wagging.  Harry smiled at his dog. "You're a good boy." Reaching down, he petted his head. Orion licked his hand and rubbed his head against it. Orion had been a gift from Lucius after a near-death experience.  The puppy had spent much of the year at Malfoy Manor but had joined Harry for the summers and was now living with them at the Abby.

 

'He'll take good care of our babies,' Draco said, kissing Artemis' wispy, pale strawberry-blonde hair; it was a paler version of Coraline's hair.

 

Harry was sure his beautiful children were beautiful because of Draco's fine features.

 

After he finished dressing Artemis, Draco walked towards Harry. 'Why don't we walk down to breakfast?'

 

Harry held Tritan securely but gently to his chest and held up a hand.  Draco pulled Harry to his feet, kissing him. 'I love watching you feed our babies.' He loved everything about the boy he'd grown to love.

 

Each cradling a baby in one arm, the Lion and the Dragon went down to the dining room to eat.  Creon and Orion followed in their wake, both having adjusted to one another a while ago.  Benia was perched on Creon's back.

 

After breakfast, Draco left Harry studying in the library for his Healer entrance exam at St. Mungo's while Artemis and Tritan were napping in bassinets near his study table.

 

XoooooX

 

Blaise entered the dining room to see Colin reading a letter while feeding an owl a bit of bacon.  Arthur was eating in a hurry as was his usual way, but Perseus had climbed into his lap and was nibbling toast.

 

"Pers luv Gapa."

 

Arthur kissed the top of his head. "Grandpa love Perseus, too."

 

Caradoc watched Arthur with a smile; he wished he remembered his sons being that age. He had no memories prior to realising he was in Malfoy Manor since he last saw Gideon and was mugged. He really admired Arthur….

 

Dennis glanced up at Blaise. "Blaise, I heard you had a game at the Manor before. Can we play this summer?"

 

Blaise laughed. "I don't see why not. None of us is pregnant."

 

Dennis smirked. "So, Cols, how's the Bonding planning coming?"

 

Colin blushed. "Den!"  It was a bit nerve-wracking to have his twin discussing his upcoming Bonding so offhandedly.

 

"You know you want him."

 

Colin bit his lip; he missed his intended. Eagle's Nest was in Scotland, but Shay was in Ireland.

 

"I miss Cora too," Dennis sighed.  "Blaise, Mr Charlie, Dad, do you think I could invite her over soon?"

 

Blaise chuckled. "You just saw her at Draco's birthday party, and just before that at Sean's birthday and the train."

 

Dennis blushed. "I just want to see her."

 

Charlie laughed. "Reminds me of when I first was truly parted from you, Blaise."

 

Blaise felt the desire in his mate's eyes.  He shivered. "Amante…" His voice was thick with both desire and warning.

 

Arthur set a protesting Perseus in his high chair. "Sorry, Perseus, Grandpa has to go to work."

 

Perseus pouted.  Arthur kissed the top of Alethea's and Taurus's heads before plucking Athena up and spinning her around. "You be good for your daddy. If I get off early, I promise to come say good night, Princess."

 

Athena frowned. "Gapa kiss!"

 

Arthur kissed her nose. "Love you, Athena."

 

"'Thena luv Gapa."

 

Arthur left quickly.

 

Charlie smiled. "Dad's so good with them."  Athena turned back to messily eating her porridge.

 

Blaise tried to ignore his desire to take Charlie back to bed and talk his mate into ravishing him in every way. He could always ask one or two of the house elves to watch their four children. He pushed the thought away and started eating; he had to talk to Draco.

 

Charlie had the rest of the summer off from the Cannons, so he was staying home with the children.

 

A reluctant but resigned Blaise flooed to Malfoy Manor to report his vision to Draco. He shivered; watching Myrtle be murdered had been unsettling.

 

Blaise exited the floo to see Draco walking out of the library. "Draco, wait."

 

Draco stopped and turned. "Good morning."

 

Blaise swallowed. "I…made some progress. I had my first dream of the past this morning. It was… disquieting."

 

"Come into the vault and we'll discuss it."

 

Blaise followed, and upon reaching it shared his dream.  The Dark Lord couldn't have been more than sixteen in it.  Sixteen and already a murderer.  What sort of person was Harry expected to vanquish?

 

 

 

 

  
 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll? What do you think?


	4. Unhappy news and another vision

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, thank you BAFan for being so patient. This story is improving due to her assistance and insight as my Beta. If this story improved, it is all her!

Title: The Truth Behind the Name and the Lies pt. 6

Pairing: DracoxHarry, OliverxPercy, twincest? Ect.

Fandom: HP

Notes: An abused boy finds out he's a wizard and a hero; his tormented mind rebels. One person sees through the misconceptions to the real Harry and treats him the way he deserves. How does this change them both and those around them?

 

 

**Chapter 4- Unhappy news and another vision**

 

June 16, 1996

 

Severus was grading summer homework when he heard an unknown house elf arguing with one of his.  "Master Severus is not to be disturbed. He be doing work."

 

"Geta must speak with Deputy Headmaster about the Headmistress!"

 

Severus sighed, opening the door.  "Let them in, Dippy."

 

"Yes, Master."

 

The house elf bowed. "Headmistress be taken to St. Mungo's.  Madam Pomfrey be taking her.  She fell down but something be wrong with her."

 

Severus brushed past her, calling out softly for his mate.

 

XoooooX

 

Remus was in the nursery putting the boys down for a nap when Severus burst in.  Severus took a long breath to calm down.  Remus left the cribs to rest a hand on his mate's shoulder.  "What's wrong?"

 

Severus covered his hand with his own.  "It's Minerva.  A Hogwarts elf came to tell me that Madam Pomfrey has taken her to St. Mungo's nonmagical ward."

 

Remus kissed his temple. "You go check on her. I'll go inform Lucius and ask Narcissa to watch the boys."

 

Severus hugged him. "I hope she'll be all right. I haven't been Deputy Headmaster long, I'm not sure I'm all that ready to take over her duties."

 

"Balderdash. You can handle it. We'll just talk Slughorn into returning if we have to. He'd want to be somewhere safe, anyway; he was never very brave. He'll just be dismayed he lost out on Harry as a member of his Slug Club," Remus teased. "But he'll have Luna, Neville, the Prewett twins Colin and Dennis, and a few others."

 

"Well, he did collect Lily and with heroes for parents, he wouldn't miss Neville, Colin, and Dennis. He might even invite Seamus; he and Colin will be bonded by then."

 

"Go on, Minerva might need you." Remus said, shooing him off before scooping up a sleepy Aurelian and Lucan.  Severus kissed him deeply before running off.

 

XoooooX

 

Remus flooed into the library at Malfoy Manor, handing off his boys reluctantly to two house elves before going to interrupt Lucius in his study.  He knocked on the door.

 

"Who is it?" Lucius snapped.

 

Remus winced. "Remus."

 

"Oh.  Come in."

 

Remus opened the door slowly. "Sorry to interrupt, but I'm here on Hogwarts business."

 

"Sit down."  Lucius waved him towards a chair.  "My apologies, Remus, for being so short with you.  I got spoiled having Percy around and I'm having to get used to doing things myself again."

 

Remus reluctantly sat; he was unnerved by the situation with Minerva and what it meant for all of them. 

 

"So what's the problem?" Lucius asked, sipping his firewhiskey. He gestured at an elf who levitated a glass, then looked inquiringly at Remus.

 

"It's Minerva.  A Hogwarts house elf said she was taken to St. Mungo's. She collapsed. As you are the Head of the Board of Governors, I thought it would be prudent to inform you," Remus said shaking his head in reference to the offer of a drink.

 

Lucius nodded. "I see.  Yes, we should go check on her.  You left your sons with Cissy?"

 

Remus nodded.  "She dotes on them."

 

Lucius chuckled. "Perhaps I should let her open an academy for young witches and wizards that includes a nursery.  She would enjoy being a proprietress.  Didn't Damocles mention that due to his mate being a werewolf, that his son wasn't welcome at any already established Wizarding primary?"

 

Lucius had requested that Narcissa, who preferred to stay at the Manor, be their Secret Keeper, yet he knew that she wanted more responsibilities beyond being merely Lady of the Manor. He normally gave her a free rein and she usually acquiesced unless his concerns were in regards to safety.

 

Remus nodded grimly.  "Yes. I worry about that as well." 

 

"It would be smart to open a place that would accept those with Creature blood. After all, my grandchildren are a quarter-Veela and my godson is half-Werewolf.  Perhaps Lady Wood would be interested in helping teach her grandson. Cissy is a Healer so we have care for the children if they become ill. Hermione could use the time to learn how to care for children. She can't be locked up with those musty books in the vault every day. Harry has a decent handle on Charms, he can help teach the older students like Theseus and Carys. Draco can teach them Potions and perhaps History of Magic. Cissy has a N.E.W.T. in Astronomy. Of course, Blaise will have no trouble with Transfiguration and perhaps Divination. Then again, he may have enough of that subject as it is."

 

Remus was surprised. "What would you call this place?"

 

"Lily Potter's Academy for Young Gifted Witches and Wizards.  It would seem like we took in only the best."

 

"Who would be on the Board of this school?"

 

"Why, Harry - and Coraline when she is old enough; it is named for their mother, after all."

 

"The Headmistress?"

 

"Cissy; she'd enjoy it.  Janie Wood can be Deputy Headmistress. Percy can be on the Board as well, as a member of the Department that he runs, so they can make sure that we don't abuse the children. Not that we ever would, but having him on the Board would be prudent. It's a thought, now we must go check on the Headmistress."

Percy had been appointed to a newly created department the previous year that was under the authority of the Ministry’s Department of Family Services.  This department was called the Department for the Welfare of Magical Children and was still processing a backlog of reports to its parent department. Percy was still in the process of hiring more staff and this was the department that both Draco and Hermione planned to apply to after finishing their apprenticeships as solicitors.

 

Overwhelmed, Remus just followed him.

 

Lucius paused briefly to instruct a house elf to inform Narcissa that the Headmistress was in St. Mungo's and he'd gone to check on her. No point in worrying her after all, especially with Dumbledore and the Dark Lord both still at large.

 

XoooooX

 

Severus exited the floo in the entrance hall of St. Mungo's, heading up to the nonmagical ward. Entering the ward, he looked into the very first room and saw Madam Pomfrey fussing over Minerva, who was lying on the bed. Her eyes were closed and she appeared to be sleeping despite the trio of Healers talking in low voices around her.  Severus stood to the side, observing.

A young Healer broke away from the group and came towards him. "Healer James at your service. May I be of assistance?"

 

Severus gestured at his colleague's form. "Any word on her condition? I'm the Deputy Headmaster of Hogwarts."

 

"Oh, she came in having a heart attack.  Madam Pomfrey wanted a cardiac Healer since it was beyond her expertise as a general Healer.  Healing has got more advanced, fewer Wizarding folk choose to go to Muggle hospitals for minor nonmagical problems. Purebloods, with the support of the Malfoys, had pushed for this because they didn’t officially exist in the Muggle world, so seeing Muggle doctors was a violation of the Statute of Secrecy in their eyes."

 

Severus nodded and waited for Madam Pomfrey and the other Healers to back away from Minerva.  Pomfrey noticed him and winced slightly, then came over to join him.

 

Severus raised an eyebrow.  "Pomfrey?  A house elf informed me of Minerva's collapse. How is she?" He wasn’t close to Madam Pomfrey and she had been of an age with his mother.  Unlike his fellow professors, Pomfrey had never offered to allow him to call her by her given name. 

 

"She suffered a mild heart attack due to stress, probably caused by trying to balance teaching Transfiguration and being Headmistress after Black was reinstated as an Auror. The war going on and Dumbledore popping up all the time probably didn't help."  Pomfrey shook her head. "I'd recommend a period of absence in which to recuperate, and then she'll have to choose one or the other duty, but not both."

 

Just because magic could speed the healing up, did not mean that Minerva could take her health lightly.

 

Severus nodded.  "Then I'll have to find someone to take over my classes as well as Transfiguration. Remus thinks I could convince Slughorn. I'll probably ask Remus and Filius to take over as Deputy Headmasters."

 

"Who will you get to teach Transfiguration?"

 

Severus smirked.  "I believe that to be an Auror you have to excel in the subject. Dora is a bit bored at the moment because she's on desk duty. It would be smart to have an Auror on staff with the war going on and Dumbledore on the loose."

 

"A pregnant person can't do human Transfiguration," Pomfrey objected.

 

"On themselves, they can't but they can have an assistant. I'm sure we can arrange for someone to assist.  Perhaps Blaise; he is quite adept at Transfiguration.  If he can be spared by his five children, of course."

 

Pomfrey sighed, "Such a terrible amount of students becoming pregnant. It's like an epidemic."

 

Severus scoffed.  "As if Hogwarts hasn't had pregnant students before. Witches have historically been bonded between age twelve and age seventeen." Really, she sounded just like Molly Weasley.

 

Lucius strode in with Remus at his heels. "How is she? Is there anything we can do to aid in her comfort? Did it happen at Hogwarts?"

 

"Of course it happened at Hogwarts, Lord Malfoy. I wouldn't have been there so quickly if it hadn't," Pomfrey said, a bit annoyed.

 

"She'll need to take a leave of absence to recover," Severus put in.  He didn't think much of Pomfrey but thought her disdainful treatment of the Head of the Hogwarts Governors was in especially poor taste. "I'll take over her duties as Headmistress. I suppose Filius and Remus can take over as Deputy Headmasters, leaving me to fill the Transfiguration post and my own as Potions Master and Head of Slytherin. Remus thought of asking Slughorn. He'll lament about Harry graduating early." 

 

"You seem to have this all in hand," Lucius nodded. "Please pass on my sincerest wishes for a speedy recovery to Minerva. The Governors are willing to help in any way they can."

 

"For which we are grateful. I am sure Minerva will wish to thank you for your concern when she is feeling better."

 

Lucius squeezed Severus' shoulder. "I'll leave the duty of filling the posts temporarily in your capable hands, my friend."

 

"It was good of you to come, Lucius."  Severus gave him a grateful look.

 

"No bother.  As strict as she was in our day, McGonagall was a fine professor. She deserved to be Headmistress." Perhaps not as much as Severus, but he intended one day to see his friend raised to the position of Headmaster. Severus Prince-Lupin was very intelligent and talented in various fields of magic. He was an excellent Head of House who cared about his students. Lucius was sure that attention would carry over to the other Houses; he cared a lot for a handful of Gryffindors and at least one true Ravenclaw.

 

Remus took his place at Severus' side, silently offering his support to his mate.

 

XoooooX

 

Blaise fell asleep before the fire in his personal study at Eagle's Nest, his wings draped around him like a cloak…

 

Before his eyes were three brothers, one of whom resembled both the deceased James Potter and James' son, his friend Harry, with wild, freshly-shagged-looking black hair.

 

The one who appeared to be the oldest spoke. "Brothers, see what I hath made."

 

The two younger were handed a wand, but what a wand. The power it radiated was immense. The tune it sang changed with each hand that grasped it. It also bore carvings of clusters of elderberries up and down its length.

 

"What a wand thou hast made, Antioch," the second brother said in admiration.

 

"What wood and core hast thou used?" asked the third and, by looks, the youngest.

 

"Fifteen inches of Elder wood and the hair of a Thestral."

 

"Thestral hair? Antioch, art thou mad?"

 

"Only Wicce who hast mastered Death canst wield such a wand."

 

Wicce was the old term for wizards while Wicca was used for a witch, but the term had died out when Hogwarts had been established.

 

"Peace, Cadmus and Ignotus. I merely created a wand that would always win duels for its owner and could do feats of Magic that would normally be considered impossible," Antioch spoke, his eyes glowing slightly with madness. 

 

"What feats dost thou mean?"

 

A splintered wand appeared in Antioch's hand. "Thus." The wand of Elder was waved and the broken wand was instantly repaired, "Here, Cadmus, is the wand that first chose thee. Try it and see if it choose thee again."

 

The middle brother used the wand to cast fire in the hearth.. Neither older nor middle brother spoke incantations aloud; they seemed very powerful indeed.

 

Blaise remembered reading of great and terrible wands that had left a bloody trail splattered across the pages of Wizarding history. Could the wands known as the Deathstick, the Wand of Destiny, the Eldruhn Wand, and the Ellhorn Wand all be truly the Elder Wand? A wand spoken of in the "Tale of the Three Brothers" that Narcissa had read to him and Draco as children? Were these the brothers Antioch, Cadmus and Ignotus Peverell? That explained why the youngest brother reminded him of Harry; Draco said once that Harry was descended from the youngest Peverell brother. The only blood connection between Harry and the Dark Lord traced back to here. The Dark Lord was a descendant of Cadmus Peverell.

 

Wait, what of the story that Death gave them each a gift?

 

"Brothers, I too hath made something of great power," Cadmus spoke.

 

"Speak, brother," Antioch acknowledged.

 

Cadmus pulled from his cloak a small stone, square-like in shape, and closed his eyes.  Shimmering before them was the form of a maiden, one whom Cadmus had loved before her untimely death separated them.  Although Cadmus had married some years later, the union was not a happy one and the two parted ways after only one year.

 

"How canst this be?"

 

"It is Merope to the life."

 

Cadmus opened his eyes and held out his hand to the girl, who smiled at him. "I hoped to find a way to bring her back." In his joy, he dropped the stone and the girl disappeared.

 

"It seems that thou only brought her halfway," Antioch said sadly.

 

Ignotus pulled from his cloak a folded piece of black cloth. "See, brothers, what I hath made." He shook out the cloth; it shimmered slightly as if it were both there and not there. The moment it wrapped around him, he vanished.

 

The brothers cried out in shock; even Blaise could not see him. They cast what seemed like spells to unhide things, to search for things, to no avail.

 

The youngest brother laughed as he reappeared. "I hath made a cloak so powerful that even Death could not find me until I am willing to go."

 

A cloak so powerful no spell could undo its ability?  A cloak that time itself couldn't bleed its power?  Most invisibility cloaks weakened with time as their bedazzling or disillusion charms lost their effectiveness, but Harry, Ignotus' descendant, owned an invisibility cloak that had belonged to James Potter in his youth. That would make it nearly the age of Remus and Severus.  Few invisibility cloaks lasted more than seven years and Harry's was at least thirty.  Could Harry's cloak be this one?

 

The vision shifted; the brothers were travelling on horses.  They stopped at an inn.  Antioch, the eldest, began to tell a tale. "We brothers three have travelled the world. Once we came to a river, a river too deep to walk and too dangerous to swim. To cross this river we used our wits to make a bridge. When we reached the middle, we were met by Death himself."

 

The younger brothers ignored him as if spinning tales was usual.

 

"Death was angered that we three outwitted him but offered us each a gift." Antioch pulled out his wand. "I asked for an unbeatable wand. My brother Cadmus here asked for the ability to bring back the dead and was granted a stone that he was promised would do thus. And our youngest brother requested the ability to leave without being followed by Death. Death pulled off his own Cloak of Invisibility and gave him this."

 

When they retired, Ignotus chided his brother, "Antioch, what wast thou thinking spinning such a false tale?"

 

"Peace, Ignotus. Nothing shalt come of it. They'll think it just the tall tale of a drunken traveller."

 

Blaise watched as one of the listeners stole into the brothers' rented room and stabbed the sleeping Antioch. The man searched until he found the wand before disappearing into the night.

 

When the brothers discovered the eldest dead, Ignotus spoke, "Thus Death hast claimed one who declared to be his master. A wand too powerful, for it arouses such a bloody deed. It is so immensely powerful and dangerous in the wrong hands. It will continue thus until wielded by one wise enough to do what many will not."

 

The brothers continued to travel until arriving home, separating to their own lodging.

 

Blaise watched as Cadmus fell into a deeper and deeper depression. The more he used the stone Antioch had called the Resurrection Stone, the less he remembered to eat. Starving and mad with love and grief for the girl who returned to him only as a ghost, Cadmus killed himself.

 

It was days before the youngest discovered the body of his brother. "Thus Death hast claimed another who purported to be his Master."  The Stone was given to the estranged wife of Cadmus as a keepsake for the child she had borne him, though Ignotus never told her what it could do.

 

Many years passed and Ignotus told the tale of the three brothers as a moral tale to his children to warn them of the folly of arrogance but never telling them that his own cloak of invisibility was the Cloak in the tale. On his death bed Ignotus gifted the cloak to his son and spoke, "Thus do I greet Death as an old friend." His chest rattled with one breath and he died.

 

Blaise woke with a start, gasping for breath.  "The Deathly Hallows are real?  Could the possessor truly become the Master of Death?  What did Ignotus mean?  Has the Elder Wand really had a life that left a bloody trail through the history of their world?  A wand that would pass from hand to hand through murder until wielded by one who could do what others could not?  A wand that all coveted but could be given up? That has to be it; the true wielder of the Elder wand must give it up or destroy it…"

 

The only person he knew who could do such a thing was Harry.  Harry could destroy a wand like that…

 

But would he?

 

Would the Elder Wand of legend ever come into Harry's possession?

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Troll?
> 
> All of this happened on the same day, yes there is a reason for McGonagall having a heart attack. I hope the vision made up of my previous chapter that seemed to lack plot. I merely attempted to show how both couples were trying to live normal lives despite Dark Days. Blaise is suffering the most I think having to see these things and his family is a comfort. Draco wants things as normal for Harry as possible, he doesn't want to burden Harry with the reality of Horcruxes making the Dark Lord nearly immortal.


	5. Blaise has another vision of Horcruxes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you BAFan! You are awesome...

Title: The Truth Behind the Name and the Lies pt. 6

Pairing: DracoxHarry, OliverxPercy, twincest? Ect.

Fandom: HP

Notes: An abused boy finds out he's a wizard and a hero; his tormented mind rebels. One person sees through the misconceptions to the real Harry and treats him the way he deserves. How does this change them both and those around them?

Warning: This chapter is not for the faint of heart. It is very Dark and involves a young Voldemort. If killing makes you uncomfortable don't read. It had to be written.

 

 

**Chapter 5: Blaise has another vision of Horcruxes**

 

 

Warning: This chapter is not for the faint of heart. It is very Dark and involves a young Voldemort. If killing makes you uncomfortable don't read. It had to be written.

 

 

Blaise dozed off in his rocking chair as his children napped…

 

Blaise found he was standing in a country lane bordered by high, tangled hedgerows, beneath a bright blue summer sky. Standing about ten feet in front of him was a short, plump man wearing enormously thick spectacles that reduced his eyes to pin-pricks; he looked like he was reading a wooden signpost that was sticking out of the brambles on the left-hand side of the road.  Blaise wasn't sure who this man was but because he was the only person in sight, Blaise figured this was who he was supposed to follow/observe. He was also wearing a strange assortment of clothes; in this case, a frock-coat and spats over a striped one-piece bathing costume. The man was most likely an important figure in the Wizarding world but, like some of the wizards and witches at the World Cup, wore clothing chosen by inexperienced wizards who were trying to look like Muggles only to fail miserably.  He must not have a Remus to help him chose a Muggle-worthy outfit, Blaise thought with a silent laugh.

 

Before Blaise had time to do more than register his bizarre appearance, however, the man had set off at a brisk walk down the lane. He followed.  As they passed the wooden sign, Blaise looked up at its two arms. The one pointing back the way they had come read: "Great Hangleton, 5 miles." The arm pointing after the man read: "Little Hangleton, 1 mile."

 

Little Hangleton? Wasn't that the name of the graveyard where the Triwizard Cup portkey took Harry and Cedric? He vaguely remembered reading "Little Hangleton Cemetery" on a sign that night.

They walked a short way with nothing to see but the hedgerows, the wide blue-sky overhead and the swishing, frock-coated figure ahead. Then the lane curved to the left and fell away, sloping steeply down a hillside, so that they had a sudden, unexpected view of a whole valley laid out in front of them. It took a very short time before Blaise could see a village, undoubtedly Little Hangleton, nestled between two steep hills, its church and graveyard- which looked far less imposing during the day, clearly visible. Across the valley, on the opposite hillside, sat what clearly had once been a handsome manor house surrounded by a wide expanse of velvety green lawn but which since had fallen into some small amount of disrepair. Near the opposite hill was a wall of hedges that seemed to have been planted for a purpose.

 

The man he was following had broken into a bit of a trot due to the steep downward slope and Blaise hurried to keep up. He thought Little Hangleton must be their final destination and wondered why they had to approach it from such a distance. He soon discovered that he was mistaken in thinking that they were going to the village, however. The lane curved to the right and he rounded the corner; had he been any slower he might only have seen the very edge of a frock coat vanishing through a gap in the hedge.

 

Blaise followed him like a shadow onto a narrow dirt track bordered by higher and wilder hedgerows than those they had left behind. The path was crooked, rocky, and potholed, sloping downhill like the last one, and it seemed to be heading for a patch of dark trees a little below them. Sure enough, the track soon opened up at the copse, and Blaise came to a halt behind the man, who had stopped and drawn his wand.

 

Despite the cloudless sky, the old trees ahead cast deep, dark, cool shadows, and quickly Blaise's eyes discerned the building half-hidden amongst the tangle of trunks. It seemed to him to be a very strange location to choose for a house unless one'd spent time in forests, for the foliage was blocking all light and the view of the valley below.

 

Despite its dreary location, he wondered whether it was truly inhabited; its walls were mossy and so many tiles had fallen off the roof that the rafters were visible in places. Then again, he didn't notice if there was a Glamour.  Nettles grew all around it, their tips reaching the windows, which were tiny and thick with grime, Blaise thought with distaste. Just as he had concluded that nobody could possibly live there, however, one of the windows was thrown open with a clatter, and a thin trickle of steam or smoke issued from it, as though somebody was cooking.

 

The man he'd been following moved forward quietly and, it seemed to Blaise, rather cautiously. As the dark shadows of the trees slid over him, he stopped again, staring at the front door, to which somebody had nailed a dead snake. Now that was ominous…

 

Then there was a rustle and a crack, and a man in rags dropped from the nearest tree, landing on his feet right in front of Blaise.  The man he'd been shadowing, leapt backward so fast he stepped on the tails of his frock coat and stumbled.  Blaise hoped that this pathetic visitor to this dreary abode was not an Auror.

 

The man standing before them had thick hair so matted with dirt it could have been any color, and several of his teeth were missing. The strange new man's eyes were small and dark; they stared in opposite directions, something that Blaise hadn't seen before. He might have looked comical, but he did not.  The effect was disturbing and Blaise could not blame the first man for backing away several more paces before he spoke.

 

"Er, good morning. I'm from the Ministry of Magic - "

 

"You're not welcome here."

 

That wasn't what Blaise heard but rather something he read in the dirty man's face. What he heard was hissing, and his eyes widened. Parseltongue!

 

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand you," the first man said nervously.

 

Blaise thought the man he'd been following was extremely dim; the stranger was making himself very clear in Blaise's opinion, particularly as he was brandishing a wand in one hand and a short and rather bloody knife in the other. Why both, he wondered.

 

"Now, look —" the first man began, but too late: There was a bang, and he was on the ground, clutching his nose, while a nasty yellowish goo squirted from between his fingers.

 

Blaise thought he recognised that hex…

 

"Morfin!" came a loud voice.

 

An elderly man had come hurrying out of the cottage, banging the door behind him so that the dead snake swung pathetically. This man was shorter than the first, and oddly proportioned; his shoulders were very broad and his arms overlong, which, with his bright brown eyes, short scrubby hair, and wrinkled face, gave him the look of a powerful, aged monkey. He came to a halt beside the man with the knife, who was now cackling with laughter at the sight of the man from the Ministry on the ground.

 

"Ministry, is it?" the older man sneered, looking down at him.

 

"Correct! Bob Ogden," the man said angrily, dabbing his face with a handkerchief. "And you, I take it, are Mr. Gaunt?"

 

"S'right," said Gaunt. "Got you in the face, did he?"

 

"Yes, he did!" Ogden snapped.

 

"Should've made your presence known, shouldn't you?" Gaunt said aggressively. "This is private property. Can't just walk in here and not expect my son to defend himself."

 

"Defend himself against what, man?" Ogden glared, clambering back to his feet.

 

"Busybodies. Intruders. Muggles and filth."

 

Ogden pointed his wand at his own nose, which was still issuing large amounts of what looked like yellow pus, and the flow stopped at once.

 

At least the guy knew the counter-hex, he couldn't be entirely clueless then but why didn't the man know they were using Parseltongue? Too bad he wasn't Harry and didn't have the natural ability to understand Parseltongue - Blaise's eyes went wide. "Comprendis Serpentus." Why didn't he think about it before? Trust in his magic indeed! 

 

Mr. Gaunt spoke out of the corner of his mouth to Morfin.  "Get in the house. Don't argue."

 

This time, ready for it, Blaise understood the Parseltongue; even while he could understand what was being said, he distinguished the weird hissing noise that was all Ogden could hear. Morfin seemed to be on the point of disagreeing, but when his father cast him a threatening look he changed his mind, lumbering away to the cottage with an odd rolling gait and slamming the front door behind him, so that the snake swung sadly again.

 

"It's your son I'm here to see, Mr. Gaunt," said Ogden, as he mopped the last of the pus from the front of his coat. "That was Morfin, wasn't it?"

 

"Ah, that was Morfin," said the old man indifferently. "Are you pureblood?" he asked, suddenly aggressive.

 

"That's neither here nor there," Ogden said coldly, and Blaise felt his respect for Ogden rise.  It sounded like something he himself would say to someone who didn't know he was half-Veela.

 

Apparently Gaunt felt rather differently. He squinted into Ogden's face and muttered, in what was clearly supposed to be an offensive tone, "Now I come to think about it, I've seen noses like yours down in the village."

 

"I don't doubt it, if your son's been let loose on them," Ogden said. "Perhaps we could continue this discussion inside?"

 

"Inside?"

 

"Yes." Ogden wasn't taking no for an answer.  "Now, Mr. Gaunt, I've already told you. I'm here about Morfin, we sent an owl,"

 

"I've no use for owls," sneered Gaunt. "I don't open letters."

 

"Then you can hardly complain that you get no warning of visitors," Ogden said shortly. "I am here following a serious breach of Wizarding law, which occurred here in the early hours of this morning,"

 

"All right, all right, all right!" Gaunt bellowed. "Come in the bleeding house, then, for all the good that it will do you!"

 

The house seemed to contain three tiny rooms. Two doors led off the main room, which served as kitchen and living room combined. Morfin was sitting in a filthy armchair beside the smoking fire, twisting a live adder between his thick fingers and crooning softly at it in Parseltongue:

 

Hissy, hissy, little snakey,

Slither on the floor

You be good to Morfin

Or he'll nail you to the door.

 

There was a scuffling noise in the corner beside the open window, and Blaise realised that there was somebody else in the room. He noticed a girl whose ragged grey dress was the exact colour of the dirty stone walls behind her. She was standing beside a steaming pot on a grimy black stove and was fiddling around with the shelf of squalid-looking pots and pans above it. Her hair was lank and dull and she had a plain, pale, rather heavy face. Her eyes, like her brother's, stared in opposite directions. She looked a little cleaner than the two men, but Blaise thought he had never seen a more defeated-looking person. She looked more cowed than Harry had when he first met him; then again, this girl clearly didn't have a Draco around to protect her.

 

Ogden looked inquiringly toward her.

 

"M'daughter, Merope," Gaunt said grudgingly.

 

"Good morning," Ogden said, giving her a small smile.

 

She did not answer, but with a frightened glance at her father turned her back on the room and continued shifting the pots on the shelf beside her.

 

"Well, Mr. Gaunt, getting straight to the point, we have reason to believe that your son, Morfin, performed magic in front of and on a Muggle last night," Ogden said.

 

There was a deafening clang. Merope had dropped one of the pots.

 

"Pick it up!" Gaunt bellowed at her. "What's your wand for? Why are you grubbing on the floor like some filthy Muggle? Why must you embarrass me and your ancestors, you useless sack of muck?"

 

"Mr. Gaunt, please!" Ogden gasped in shock.

 

Blaise watched as Merope flushed and lost her grip on the pot she'd just picked up, causing it to clang onto the floor again.  She drew her wand shakily from her pocket, pointed it at the pot, and muttered a hasty, inaudible spell.  Instead of returning it to her hand, it caused the pot to shoot across the floor in the opposite direction, hit the wall and crack in two.

 

Blaise winced as a mad cackle of laughter came out of Morfin's mouth. It reminded him of the Dark Lord's laughter. It was possible the Dark Lord's madness, like Bellatrix Lestrange's, came from too much intermarriage. Could the Dark Lord have inherited his Parseltongue from these people? What was so important that Fate chose to have him. If this woman was a relative of the Dark Lord, she certainly wasn't much better at easy magic than Crabbe and Goyle.

 

Gaunt shouted, "Mend it, you pointless lump, mend it!  Do you like embarrassing me? Should have turned you out. If you were any stupider you'd be a SQUIB!"

 

Merope stumbled across the room to retrieve and repair the pot.  Before she had time to raise her wand, Ogden had lifted his own and said firmly, "Reparo." The pot mended itself instantly.

 

Gaunt looked for a moment as though he was going to shout at Ogden, but seemed to think better of it. Rather, he jeered at his daughter, "Lucky the nice man from the Ministry's here, isn't it? Perhaps he'll take you off my hands; perhaps he doesn't mind dirty Squibs. "

 

Without looking at anybody or thanking Ogden, Merope picked up the pot and returned it, hands trembling, to its shelf. She then stood quite still, her back against the wall between the filthy window and the stove, as though she wished for nothing more than to sink into the stone and vanish.

 

"Mr. Gaunt," Ogden began again, "as I've said: the reason for my visit - "

 

"I heard you the first time!" Gaunt snapped. "So what? Morfin gave a Muggle a bit of what was coming to him. What about it, then?"

 

"Morfin has broken Wizarding law," Ogden said sternly.

 

"'Morfin has broken Wizarding law.'" Gaunt imitated Ogden's voice, making it pompous and singsong.

 

Morfin cackled again.  It grated on Blaise's nerves like the Daily Prophet's laughing, maniac photos of Bellatrix.

 

"He taught a filthy Muggle a lesson, that's illegal now, is it?"

 

Ogden pulled from an inside pocket a small scroll of parchment and unrolled it. "Yes," he said through pursed lips. "I'm afraid it is."

 

"What's that, then, his sentence?" Gaunt's voice rose angrily.

 

"No, it's merely a summons to the Ministry for a hearing,"

 

"Summons!  Summons? Who do you think you are, summoning my son anywhere?"

 

"I'm Head of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad," Ogden snapped.

 

Blaise had to stifle a laugh; this Ogden was the Head of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad? Oh bloody hell. What a laugh.  He was clearly inept…

 

"So, Mister High-and-Mighty, you think we're scum, do you?" Gaunt screamed, advancing toward Ogden now, pointing a dirty yellow-nailed finger at his chest. "Scum who'll come running when the Ministry tells 'em to? Do you know who you're talking to, you filthy little Mudblood, do you?"

 

"I was under the impression that I was speaking to Mr Gaunt," Ogden said, looking wary but standing his ground.

 

"That's right!" Gaunt roared. For a moment, Blaise thought Gaunt was making an obscene hand gesture, but then realised that he was showing Ogden the ugly, black-stoned ring.

 

A ring that Blaise recognised, well, to a point anyway; that stone…was the Resurrection Stone!

 

He was wearing it on his middle finger, waving it before Ogden's eyes. "See this? See this? Know what it is? Know where it came from? Centuries it's been in our family, that's how far back we go, and pure-blood all the way! Know how much I've been offered for this, with the Peverell coat of arms engraved on the stone?"

 

"I have no idea," Ogden blinked as the ring sailed within an inch of his nose, "and it's quite beside the point, Mr Gaunt. Your son has committed - "

 

With a howl of rage, Gaunt ran toward his daughter.  For a split second, Blaise thought he was going to throttle her as his hand flew to her throat; next moment, he was dragging her toward Ogden by a gold chain around her neck.

 

"See this?" he bellowed at Ogden, shaking a heavy gold locket at him, while Merope spluttered and gasped for breath.

 

"I see it, I see it!" Ogden said hastily, as if he wanted to stop the man from choking his daughter.

 

"Slytherin's!" Gaunt yelled. "Salazar Slytherin's! We're his last living descendants, we're practically royalty in the Wizarding World and you are just some pathetic little upstart!"

 

Salazar's locket? There was another curse for him. The old man was right though.

 

"Mr Gaunt, your daughter!" Ogden cried out in alarm, but Gaunt had already released Merope.  The poor girl staggered away from him, back to her corner, massaging her neck and gulping for air.

 

"So!" Gaunt triumphantly said, as though he had just proved a complicated point beyond all possible dispute. "Don't you go talking to us as if we're dirt on your shoes! Generations of purebloods, wizards all. Which is more than you can say, I don't doubt!" And he spat on the floor at Ogden's feet. The spittle landed awfully close to Blaise's shoes, as well, and he nearly fell getting out of the way, a purely reflexive action as nothing would have actually touched him.

 

Morfin cackled again.  Merope huddled beside the window, her head bowed and her face hidden by her lank hair said nothing.

 

"Mr Gaunt," said Ogden doggedly, "I am afraid that neither your ancestors nor mine have anything to do with the matter at hand. I am here because of Morfin, Morfin and the Muggle he accosted late last night. Our information"— he glanced down at his scroll of parchment — "is that Morfin performed a jinx or hex on the said Muggle, causing him to erupt in highly painful hives."

 

Morfin giggled.

 

"Be quiet, boy," Gaunt snarled in Parseltongue, and Morfin fell silent again.

 

"So what if he did?" Gaunt said defiantly to Ogden. "I expect you've wiped the Muggle's filthy face clean for him, and his memory to boot!"

 

"That's hardly the point, Mr Gaunt," said Ogden. "This was an unprovoked attack on a defenceless - "

 

"I had you marked out as a useless Muggle-lover the moment I saw you," Gaunt sneered.  He spat on the floor again but this time Blaise dodged it cleanly.

 

"This discussion is getting us nowhere," Ogden said firmly. "It is clear from your son's attitude that he feels no remorse for his actions." He glanced down at his scroll of parchment again. "Morfin will attend a hearing on the fourteenth of September to answer the charges of using magic in front of a Muggle and causing harm and distress to that same Mugg —" Ogden broke off.

 

The jingling, clopping sounds of horses and loud, laughing voices were drifting in through the open window. Apparently, the winding lane to the village passed very close to the copse where the house stood.  Gaunt froze, listening, his eyes wide.  Morfin hissed and turned his face toward the sounds, his expression hungry.  Merope raised her head.  Her face, Blaise saw, was starkly white.

 

"My God, what an eyesore!" rang out a girl's voice, as clearly audible through the open window as if she had stood in the room beside them. "Couldn't your father have that hovel cleared away, Tom?"

 

"It's not ours," said a young man's voice. "Everything on the other side of the valley belongs to us, but that cottage belongs to an old tramp called Gaunt, and his children. The son's quite mad, you should hear some of the stories they tell in the village."

 

The girl laughed. The jingling, clopping noises were growing louder and louder.

 

Morfin made to get out of his armchair.  "Keep your seat," his father hissed out in warning.

 

"Tom," came the girl's voice again, now so close they were clearly right beside the house. "I might be wrong, but has somebody nailed a snake to that door?"

 

"Good lord, you're right!" the man's voice said. "That'll be the son, I told you he's not right in the head. Don't look at it, Cecilia, darling."

 

The jingling and clopping sounds were now growing faint again.

 

"'Darling,'" whispered Morfin in Parseltongue, looking at his sister. "'Darling,' he called her. So he wouldn't have you anyway."

 

Tom? Little Hangleton? Tom? Tom Riddle perhaps? The Dark Lord's father?

 

Merope was so white Blaise felt sure she was going to faint.

 

"What's that?" Gaunt snapped also in Parseltongue, looking from his son to his daughter. "What did you say, Morfin?"

 

"She likes looking at that Muggle," said Morfin, a vicious expression on his face as he stared at his sister, who now looked terrified. "Always in the garden when he passes, peering through the hedge at him, isn't she? And last night - "

 

Merope shook her head, silently imploringly him.

 

Morfin went on ruthlessly, " - hanging out of the window waiting for him to ride home, wasn't she?"

 

"Hanging out of the window to look at a Muggle?" Gaunt hissed quietly.  All three of the Gaunts seemed to have forgotten Ogden, who was looking both bewildered and irritated at this renewed outbreak of incomprehensible hissing and rasping.

 

"Is it true?" Gaunt said in a deadly voice, advancing a step or two toward the terrified girl. "My daughter, a pure-blooded descendant of Salazar Slytherin, is hankering after a filthy, dirt-veined Muggle?"

 

Merope shook her head frantically, pressing herself into the wall, apparently unable to speak.

 

"But I got him, Father!" cackled Morfin. "I got him as he went by and he didn't look so pretty with hives all over him, did he, Merope?"

 

"You disgusting little Squib, you filthy little blood traitor!" Gaunt roared, losing control, and his hands closed around his daughter's throat.

 

Both Blaise and Ogden yelled "No!" at the same time; Ogden raised his wand and cried, "Relashio!"

 

Ogden's reflexes proved he was indeed part of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad; he might have been a former Auror.  Gaunt was thrown backwards, away from his daughter; he tripped over a chair and fell flat on his back.  With a roar of rage, Morfin leapt out of his chair and ran at Ogden, brandishing his bloody knife and firing hexes indiscriminately from his wand.

 

Ogden ran for his life and Blaise decided to follow even though Merope's screams were echoing in his ears. He couldn't change the past…

 

Ogden hurtled up the path and erupted onto the main lane, his arms over his head, where he collided with the glossy chestnut horse ridden by a very handsome, dark-haired young man who reminded Blaise of a picture from Old Nott's Hogwarts days. He had claimed to be one of the Dark Lord's oldest and most trusted companions, resenting young upstarts like Lucius and Severus.

 

He must be Tom Riddle, the Muggle father of the Dark Lord, and he knew that Voldemort claimed descent from Salazar Slytherin who was also a Parseltongue - he was the "true heir of Slytherin," wasn't he?  Voldemort had opened the Chamber, he'd seen that and he'd watched a glimpse of the past where the future Dark Lord made his first kill. So that was his mother and his family? No wonder the Dark Lord was mad and creepy.  Pureblood-only Bonding, wasn't that what Draco mentioned made madness run in the family? No new blood? Marrying only among your own kind and sometimes into your own family? Blaise remembered Draco called it "forcing souls to return before their time."

 

Both Riddle and the pretty girl riding beside him on a grey horse roared with laughter at the sight of Ogden, who bounced off the horse's flank and set off again, his frock coat flying, covered from head to foot in dust, running pell-mell up the lane.

 

The vision changed…

 

It was an older Morfin, grey from imprisonment.  He remembered seeing the same look on Sirius, only this was more apparent.

 

It took him a second to recognise the place; the Gaunts' house was now more indescribably filthy than anywhere Blaise had ever seen except perhaps the Chamber of Secrets. The ceiling was thick with cobwebs; the floor coated in grime; mouldy and rotting food lay upon the table amidst a mass of encrusted pots. The only light came from a single guttering candle placed at the feet of a man whose magic smelled like Morfin’s, making his previous instinctual identification of the Gaunt heir seem accurate. He was slumped in an armchair by the fire, and Blaise would have wondered for a moment whether he was dead if he hadn't heard a hissing wheeze. But then there came a loud knock on the door and the man jerked awake, raising a wand in his right hand and a short knife in his left.

 

The door creaked open and there on the threshold, holding an old-fashioned lamp, stood a boy: tall, pale, dark-haired and handsome. Blaise recognised him at once from the vague glimpse they'd had when they destroyed the diary and from a portrait that was at Nott Hall: Tom Riddle, the teenaged Lord Voldemort. He was also the same boy from his vision about the death of poor Myrtle. 

 

Voldemort's eyes moved slowly around the hovel and then found the man in the armchair. For a few seconds they looked at each other, then the man staggered upright, the many empty bottles at his feet clattering and tinkling across the floor.

 

"YOU!" he hissed. "YOU!" He stumbled drunkenly toward Riddle, wand and knife held aloft.  The very same wand and knife that Morfin had threatened Ogden with during Blaise's first part of this vision.

 

"Stop," Riddle spoke in Parseltongue.

 

The man skidded into the table, sending mouldy pots crashing to the floor and he stared at Riddle with his strange eyes.  There was a long silence while they contemplated each other.

 

The man broke it. "You speak it?"

 

"Yes, I speak it," Riddle said haughtily in Parseltongue.  He moved forward into the room, allowing the door to swing shut behind him. Blaise could not help but feel a resentful admiration for Voldemort's complete lack of fear.

 

The Dark Lord's face merely expressed disgust and, perhaps, disappointment. "Where is Marvolo?"

 

"Dead," Morfin shrugged. "Died years ago, didn't he?"

 

Riddle frowned. "Who are you, then?"

 

"I'm Morfin, ain't I?"

 

"Marvolo's son?"

 

"'Course I am, then."  Morfin pushed the hair out of his dirty face, the better to see Riddle. Blaise saw that he wore Marvolo's black-stoned ring on his right hand. It gave him a shiver to see the Resurrection Stone.  Was he seeing this because it related to the Dark Lord or because it was the second of the Deathly Hallows?

 

What were the Fates trying to tell him? Blaise was still trying to understand why he'd seen a vision of Myrtle’s death and then another with the three Peverell brothers revealing that the Deathly Hallows were real. He recognised the Resurrection Stone earlier but he hadn’t figured out the meaning behind the Death Hallows visions. What did they have to do with anything?

                                                                                  

"I thought you was that Muggle," Morfin hissed softly. "You look mighty like that Muggle."

 

"What Muggle?" Riddle hissed sharply.

 

"That Muggle what my sister took a fancy to, that Muggle what lives in the big house over the way."  Morfin spat unexpectedly upon the floor between them. "You look right like him.  Riddle.  But he's older now, in 'e?  He's older'n you, now I think on it."

 

Morfin looked slightly dazed and swayed a little, still clutching the edge of the table for support. "He come back, see," he added stupidly.

 

Voldemort was gazing at Morfin as though appraising his possibilities. Now he moved a little closer and said, "Riddle came back?"

 

"Ar, he left her, and serve her right, marrying filth!" said Morfin, spitting on the floor again. "Robbed us, mind, before she ran off. Where's the locket, eh, where's Slytherin's locket?"

 

Voldemort did not answer.

 

Morfin was working himself into a rage again; he brandished his knife and shouted, "Dishonoured us, she did, that little slut! And who're you, coming here and asking questions about all that? It's over, innit… It's over…"

 

He looked away, staggering slightly, and Voldemort moved forward, hissing a spell so fast that Blaise barely registered that it was some type of memory and stunning spell all in one.  Morfin collapsed to the floor and the young soon-to-be Dark Lord spun on his heel after seizing the older man's dirty wand. Blaise reluctantly followed him outside, making his way in the dark to the Manor house on the other end of town.

 

The teenager, who appeared to be nearly the same age as Blaise, sneaked into the Manor using Alohomora to open a locked door, following the light under a door.

 

Three heads looked up when he entered the drawing room.  Blaise saw an elderly woman and two men.  The older man had an imperious manner that reminded Blaise more of Lucius than Marvolo.  "Who are you?" he demanded, rising to his feet **.**

 

"Tom Marvolo Riddle, your grandson," the future Dark Lord taunted. "Can't you tell?  I look just like your son."

 

The son also stood up. "You're the son of that filthy Gaunt girl, the one who tricked me into marrying her."  Morfin had been right; the young lord Voldemort looked an awful lot like his father.

 

"So what if she did? You just abandoned us like we were trash." Voldemort's eyes flashed with cold anger.

 

"That Gaunt girl _was_ trash," sneered the son, who was apparently Tom Riddle, Sr **.**   "She tried to tell me she was pregnant but I didn't believe her."

 

"You left her because she said she was a witch!" Voldemort snapped.

 

The other man - his father - looked at him with utter disdain. "She was the sister of that mad wretch Morfin.  Anyone who believes they're a witch obviously isn't right in the head."

 

"Anyone who believes they're magical is mad?"  Tom smiled coldly.  "I'll show you mad." The Dark Lord drew forth Morfin’s wand and pointed it at his father, his own having been pocketed after stealing his supposed uncle’s. There was a sharp hiss but Blaise understood it:

 

"Avada Kedavra!"

Blaise presumed that Merope was the Dark Lord’s mother, given that Morfin had accused his sister of liking a Muggle, the same Muggle that the young Tom Riddle seemed to resemble. Although he wasn’t sure exactly what happened afterwards, Morfin and presumably Marvolo were arrested. Marvolo was apparently dead by the time this vision happened, and Morfin seemed recently released from Azkaban.

 

The woman screamed but the old man watched in silent horror as his son was struck with a green light before the life drained out of his eyes.  Voldemort then shot the curse at the old woman, who crumpled to the floor, dead, before turning the wand on the old man - his grandfather.  But he hissed instead of the Killing Curse spell so Dark that even the sound of it made Blaise ill.  He recognised it immediately; it was the same incantation Riddle had used just before the Basilisk killed Myrtle:

"Dehors hore crùce!"

 

There came a high-pitched hiss and it looked like the young Dark Lord-to-be was in pain.  Blaise shivered as he watched the Gaunt ring gain a very powerful dark aura as well as start to smell of decay.

 

Then, "Avada Kedavra!" 

 

Voldemort's grandfather was dead…

 

Voldemort had killed his father first, cast the incantation that created the Horcrux, then his grandmother and finally the imperious one who dared to ask him who he was, his Muggle grandfather.  The house was relocked and Voldemort made his way back to the Gaunt shack.  Morfin's wand was placed near his hand and the Dark Lord created memories of him killing the Riddle family.  Then the ring bearing the Resurrection Stone was shining on Riddle's finger, the ring hissing softly, teasing one's ears and promising power.

 

Blaise shivered; most evil indeed…

 

He woke to gasp as he heard one of his children cry and moved to soothe them as well as distract himself.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?


	6. A vision of Slughorn and a vision of the Ministry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you BAFan! You are awesome...

Title: The Truth Behind the Name and the Lies pt. 6

Pairing: DracoxHarry, OliverxPercy, twincest? Ect.

Fandom: HP

Notes: An abused boy finds out he's a wizard and a hero; his tormented mind rebels. One person sees through the misconceptions to the real Harry and treats him the way he deserves. How does this change them both and those around them?

 

 

**Chapter 6: A vision of Slughorn and a vision of the Ministry**

 

 

_This vision was cold and oppressive despite the fire…_

_It seemed like they were in the Hogwarts dungeons, but Blaise wasn't sure; the surroundings were almost but not quite familiar. This had the same feeling as his previous visions but it felt more like the vision regarding the Deathly Hallows - it was of the past not the future._

_An older gentleman was sitting at a round table with six or seven boys, who included Nott, Avery, Lestrange, Rosier, Mulciber, and Dolohov. Not the Lestranges nor the Dolohov who had escaped Azkaban, but their fathers.  It was Horace Slughorn; Blaise recognised him from an old picture in Lucius' study. Slughorn had thick, shiny, straw-colored hair, but there was already a shiny Galleon-sized bald patch on his crown and his moustache was gingery-blond. Slughorn's golden buttons on his richly embroidered waistcoat were taking a fair amount of strain. His little feet rested upon a velvet pouffe - for a fat man he had tiny feet. He was sitting well back in a comfortable winged armchair, one hand grasping a small glass of wine and the other searching through a box of crystallised pineapple._

_Blaise looked around and saw that he was standing in what might have become Severus' office in later years, but it was hard to tell. The boys were sitting around Slughorn, all on harder and/or lower seats than his, and all in their mid-teens._

_Blaise recognised Voldemort at once. His was the most handsome face and he looked the most relaxed of all the boys. His right hand lay negligently upon the arm of his chair.  With a jolt, Blaise saw that he was wearing Marvolo's gold-and-black ring. So he had already killed Myrtle, as well as his father and his grandparents. He looked about sixteen and he had already killed four people? No wonder the kid grew up to be so crazy, he'd already made two Horcruxes._

_"Sir, is it true that Professor Merrythought is retiring?" he asked._

_"Tom, Tom, even if I knew, you know I couldn't tell you." Slughorn wagged a reproving, sugar-covered finger at Riddle.  Blaise thought he rather ruined the effect by winking in a conspiratorial manner. "I must say; I'd like to know where you get your information. Riddle, my boy, you are more knowledgeable about school gossip than half the staff."_

_Riddle smiled; the other boys laughed and cast him admiring looks._

_"With your uncanny ability to know things you shouldn't, and your careful flattery of the people who matter - thank you for the pineapple, by the way, you're quite right, it is my favourite . . . "_

_Several of the boys tittered again. Blaise rolled his eyes in an undignified manner.  They reminded him of Pansy, Daphne and Astoria._

_". . . within twenty years, I confidently expect you to rise to Minister for Magic. Fifteen, if you keep sending me pineapple; I have excellent contacts at the Ministry."_

_Tom Riddle merely smiled but it didn't reach his eyes as the others laughed again._

_Blaise noticed that he was by no means the eldest of the group of boys, but they all seemed to look to him as their leader just as his own friends looked to his brother, Draco, who was also not the eldest of their group.  In fact, with Neville and Coraline now part of their inner circle and both being younger than he - Neville's birthday of course being only a day prior to Harry's -  Draco was now only the third oldest, after Hermione and Blaise._

_"I don't know that politics would suit me, sir," Riddle said when the laughter had died away. "I don't have the right kind of background, for one thing."_

_A couple of the boys around him smirked at each other. Blaise was sure they were enjoying a private joke, undoubtedly about what they knew, or suspected, regarding their gang leader's famous ancestor._

_"Nonsense, Tom, it couldn't be plainer you come from decent Wizarding stock, with abilities like yours. No, you'll go far, Tom.  I've never been wrong about a student yet," Slughorn said briskly._

_The small golden clock standing upon Slughorn's desk chimed eleven o'clock behind him and he looked around. "Good gracious, is it that time already? You'd better get going, boys, or we'll all be in trouble. Lestrange, Avery, I want your essays by tomorrow or it's detention for the both of you."_

_One by one, the boys filed out of the room.  Slughorn heaved himself out of his armchair and carried his empty glass over to his desk.  A movement behind him made him look around; Riddle was still standing there._

_"Look sharp, Tom.  Being a prefect, you don't want to be caught out of bed after curfew."_

_"Sir, I wanted to ask you something."_

_"Ask away, then, m'boy, ask away, but do be quick about it."_

_"Sir, I wondered what you know about…about Horcruxes?'_

_Slughorn stared at him, his thick fingers absentmindedly clawing the stem of his wine glass. "Project for Defense Against the Dark Arts, is it?"_

_But Blaise could tell that Slughorn knew perfectly well that this was not schoolwork._

_"Not exactly, sir, you see I came across the term while reading and I didn't fully understand it," Riddle said._

_Not understand it? No doubt the bastard read the same books they had! Well, Draco and Hermione anyway. Blaise had enough darkness in his mind because of these visions. The scum had already made two of them!  Blaise cursed Riddle and his ancestors to the seventh generation in Italian._

_"No… well… you'd be hard-pushed to find a book at Hogwarts that'll give you details on Horcruxes, Tom; that's very Dark stuff, very Dark indeed," said Slughorn._

_"But you obviously know all about them, sir? I mean, a wizard like you… sorry, I mean, if you can't tell me, obviously I just knew if anyone could tell me, you could…so I just thought I'd–"_

_It was very well done, Blaise thought; the hesitancy, the casual tone, the careful flattery, none of it was overdone. Blaise was Slytherin enough to recognise a master at work. He could tell that Riddle wanted the information very, very much, perhaps had been working toward this moment for weeks._

_"Well," Slughorn said, not looking at Riddle because he was fiddling with the ribbon on top of his box of crystallised pineapple. "Well, it can't hurt to give you an overview, of course, just so that you understand the term. A Horcrux is the word used for an object in which a person has concealed part of their soul."_

_"I don't quite understand how that works, though, sir."  Riddle's voice was carefully controlled, his expression innocently puzzled._

_Blaise could sense his excitement and he rolled his eyes. The boy had already made two Horcruxes but you wouldn't guess that by his behaviour._

_"Well, you split your soul, you see, and hide part of it in an object outside the body," said Slughorn, "Then, even if one's body is attacked or destroyed, one cannot die, for part of the soul remains earthbound and undamaged. But of course, existence in such a form . . . " Slughorn's face crumpled as if he knew he'd done something terrible by speaking of such things._

_Blaise found himself remembering words they'd all heard nearly two years before in the graveyard: "I was ripped from my body, I was less than spirit, less than the meanest ghost…but still, I was alive."_

_" . . . few would want it, Tom, very few. Death would be preferable."_

_But Riddle's hunger for knowledge and power was now apparent; his expression was greedy and he could no longer hide his longing. "How do you split your soul?"_

_"Well," Slughorn said uncomfortably, "you must understand that the soul is supposed to remain intact and whole. Splitting it is an act of violation, it is against nature."_

_"But how do you do it?" Riddle was not going to go away until he was answered._

_Blaise knew damn well that Tom had already split his soul twice. So what was he hoping to accomplish by badgering?_

_"By an act of evil, the supreme act of evil; by committing murder. Killing rips the soul apart. The wizard intent upon creating a Horcrux would use the damage to his advantage: He would encase the torn portion,"_

_"Encase? But how?"_

_"There is a spell, do not ask me, I don't know!" said Slughorn snapped, irritated and shaking his head like an old elephant bothered by mosquitoes. "Do I look as though I have tried it? Do I look like a killer?"_

_"No, sir, of course not," Riddle said quickly, trying to regain ground. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend."_

_"Not at all, not at all, I'm not offended," said Slughorn gruffly. "It is natural to feel some curiosity about these things.  Wizards of a certain calibre have always been drawn to that aspect of magic."_

_"Yes, sir," Riddle said. "What I don't understand, though… just out of curiosity… I mean, how much use would one Horcrux be? Can you only split your soul once? Wouldn't it be better, make you stronger, to have your soul in more pieces.  I mean, for instance, isn't seven the most powerfully magical number, wouldn't seven - "_

_"Merlin's beard, Tom!" Slughorn looked nearly faint. "Seven! Isn't it bad enough to think of killing one person? And in any case, it's bad enough to divide the soul but to rip it into seven pieces…" Slughorn looked deeply troubled now: He was gazing at Riddle as though he had never seen him plainly before._

_Blaise could tell that Slughorn was deeply regretting entering into the conversation at all._

_"Of course," the professor muttered, "this is all hypothetical, what we're discussing, isn't it? All academic?"_

_"Yes, sir, of course," said Riddle quickly.  Too quickly in Blaise's opinion._

_"But all the same, Tom… keep it quiet, what I've told, that's to say, what we've discussed. People wouldn't like to think we've been chatting about Horcruxes. It's a banned subject at Hogwarts, you know… Dumbledore's particularly fierce about it…"_

_"I won't say a word, sir," Riddle said and he left._

_As he did Blaise glimpsed his face, which was full of the sort of wild, almost dangerous happiness that did not enhance his handsome features, but made them, somehow, less human. He was wasn't he? He had after all split his soul twice…_

 

Blaise woke up feeling chilled.  Seven Horcruxes?

 

Harry had to have been an accident, but the diary was destroyed and the snake; that was three. Harry’s had been noticed by Benia who allowed it to be destroyed by the Basilisk venom in the Chamber of Secrets and Neville had killed the snake when his father-in-law was attacked last December.  He knew about the ring, but where was it? He could understand why a descendent of Salazar Slytherin might use a family heirloom to create a Horcrux. If he'd used the Peverell ring then why not the locket? His mother's locket? If so, if Riddle had found it and used it in that manner, they had to find it…

 

Someone so obsessed with power and Slytherin, wouldn't he want to show that Slytherin was the most powerful of the Founders and therefore of the Houses?  Would he have dared to use icons of other Houses in order to demonstrate that superiority?  What was it Neville said, that the Sword of Gryffindor would return to the true Heir of Gryffindor?  Surely that meant it would be impossible for the Heir of Slytherin to obtain, so it would have been safe, right? That would leave Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.

 

That was something to ask Hermione, what the icons of those houses would be. Then again, perhaps Coraline would know what might be iconic of her House, Ravenclaw.  He summoned a Dreamless Sleep potion and drank it before he buried his face in Charlie's chest and hoped to clear his mind.

 

XoooooX

 

Just before dawn, the potion ceased to work and Blaise was once again making the journey along the Department of Mysteries corridor. He had passed through the circular room, then the room full of clicking and dancing light, until he found himself again inside that cavernous room full of shelves on which were ranged dusty glass spheres.  He hurried straight towards row number ninety-seven, turned left, and ran along it.  Just a bit further…

 

Then he felt his unconscious-self struggling to wake, just before he had reached the end of the row…  Suddenly Blaise found himself lying in bed again, gazing up at the canopy of his four-poster bed in his home that he shared with his mate and their chicks.  Arthur, Caradoc and the Prewett twins Colin and Dennis also live there…but it had been Blaise and Charlie's home first.

 

 

 

  
 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you aren't disappointed. We get a clearer picture of the young manipulative Dark Lord. Poor Blaise, his powers cannot truly be held at bay by dreamless sleep potions.
> 
> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?


	7. The Department of Mysteries and the fall of Padfoot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you BAFan! You are wonderful...

Title: The Truth Behind the Name and the Lies pt. 6  
Pairing: DracoxHarry, OliverxPercy, twincest? Ect.  
Fandom: HP  
Notes: An abused boy finds out he's a wizard and a hero; his tormented mind rebels. One person sees through the misconceptions to the real Harry and treats him the way he deserves. How does this change them both and those around them?

 

**Chapter 7- The Department of Mysteries and the fall of Padfoot**

 

_He was walking along the cool, dark corridor to the Department of Mysteries once again, walking with a firm and purposeful tread, breaking occasionally into a run, determined to reach his destination at last. The black door swung open for him as usual, and here he was in the circular room with its many doors..._

_Straight across the stone floor and through the second door. There were patches of dancing light on the walls and floor and that odd mechanical clicking, but no time to explore, he must hurry…_

_He jogged the last few feet to the third door, which swung open just like the others._

_Once again he was in the ballroom-sized room full of shelves and glass spheres.  His heart was beating very fast now. He was going to get there this time!  When he reached Number Ninety- seven he turned left and hurried along the aisle between two rows…_

_But there was a shape on the floor at the very end, a black shape moving on the floor like a wounded animal but unmistakably human. Blaise's stomach contracted with dread and with excitement.  He could sense someone’s enjoyment in causing pain but felt his own fear of what this vision might reveal._

_A voice issued from what felt like his own mouth; mocking laughter first, then words, both empty of any human kindness. "Take it for us, lift it down, now. I cannot touch it because of the Mark, but you can."_

_The black shape on the floor shifted a little.  Blaise saw a slim, pale hand clutching a wand at the end of an arm, felt it rising as if it were his own arm but without his volition, and heard the mad, taunting voice say "Crucio!" crooning it almost as an endearment._

_The man on the floor let out a scream of pain, attempted to stand but fell back, writhing._

_A voice in the shadows was laughing.  From the corner of his eye, Blaise saw someone raise their wand.  The curse lifted and the figure groaned and became motionless, aside from the tremors wracking his body._

_"My Master is waiting."_

_Very slowly, bracing himself on arms that were visibly trembling, the man on the ground raised his shoulders a few inches and lifted his head._

_Blaise gasped.  It was Sirius! His face was bloodstained, twisted in pain yet rigid with defiance. "You'll have to kill me, Bella, I will not serve your master," Sirius whispered, his voice shredded raw from screaming._

_"Undoubtedly I shall in the end," said the taunting voice. "But you will fetch it for me first, fool of a cousin. You think you have felt pain thus far? Think again; we have hours ahead of us and there is no one to hear you scream."_

_But someone else screamed as Bellatrix raised her wand again; somebody yelled, "No!"_

 

Blaise fell sideways off the bed onto the cold stone floor and awoke as he hit the ground, still yelling.  He heard his children start to cry and Charlie burst in from the nursery. "Blaise?"

 

Blaise shook with a mixture of terror and revulsion. "I was having a vision, a vision about Bella. She was torturing Sirius in the Hall of Prophecy and it felt like it was happening now. Do you think he's at the Ministry? Out in the field or could he be at home?

 

"Let me floo-call Severus. He'll know."

 

"Yes," Blaise said, standing on shaky legs to go tend to his crying children.  He was glad he had taken his N.E.W.T.s early; with two children barely one-year-old and two comparably just hatched, he knew he and Charlie couldn't handle him having to be in school all day. He did his best to comfort them; he hated that he had upset them. He had such a deep love for his children and his mate, but still wished that the attack on Arthur hadn't pushed both himself and Fleur into an early heat.  He should have had at least a year between clutches, but he couldn't really wish Alethea and Taurus away. They were so perfect, a beautiful mix of their fathers: bronze skin, curly red hair and jewel-like eyes. The girls, Athena and Alethea, both had beautiful amethyst eyes, while their brother Perseus had cobalt eyes and Taurus' eyes were turning a deep blue; they'd be sapphire, he was sure of it.  He felt awful about that third egg; it hadn't hatched even though he'd done everything right.

 

He tried to push away the sense of impending doom and sorrow; he worried that Coraline felt it too.

 

Charlie returned, panic-stricken. "St. Mungo's just floo-called.  Charity was attacked. She's hurt something awful and Sirius is missing."

 

Blaise collapsed to his knees, still holding Alethea.  The baby…Charity had just found out. Sirius had started to care about her and they were about to be a family, how could this happen? Sirius wanted a boy, insisting they call it James. Charity said it was a girl…  "What about the baby?"

 

Charlie's face fell. "They don't know."

 

Blaise closed his eyes, opening himself up.  He saw Charity, her eyes filled with both joy and sorrow, standing with Dora. They were watching two kids, a boy and a girl, chasing a Kneazle. "The baby will live, but Sirius…"

 

"Don't think about it, love."  Charlie knelt beside Blaise, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.  "Remember what Firenze said. Time and prophecy are fluid, they change all the time."

 

Blaise grew adamant. "We have to save Sirius. The Dark Lord wants Harry's prophecy. He's using Sirius to try to get it, I don't know why." He had a sinking feeling that it would fail but they had to try.

 

XoooooX

 

Coraline was visiting Harry and playing with her niece, Artemis, when she felt a change in the magic of the land. Something bad had happened, or was happening.  Coraline held Artemis close, shaking as she stumbled over to Harry, who was feeding his son, her nephew Tritan. "Something is wrong."

 

Harry looked up, startled. "Wrong?" Draco had been sneaking off for weeks and he'd begun to worry. Had something happened to Draco? The look on her face sent a chill down his spine. "Is it Draco?"  Instinctively, he clutched at Tritan, who made a complaining noise.  Harry soothed his son and looked at his sister, his eyes searching her face.  "Coraline, has something happened to Draco?"

 

Coraline shook her head, biting her lip.  "I don't think so, Harry, but I can't be sure.  I just know something is wrong, somewhere."

 

They sat in silence for fifteen minutes trying to figure out what terrible thing had happened.  It wasn't like when Mr Weasley was attacked.  When Coraline had sensed the attack on Mr Weasley,  she collapsed and that was how Blaise knew the attack he had foreseen had occurred. Then, Blaise had reacted in an effort to save his father-in-law. This time, Coraline seemed stronger, possibly because her curse had been broken?

 

The silence was disturbed when Blaise burst in. "It's Sirius! He's been captured by the Dark Lord and Bellatrix, and Charity was hurt.  She's at St. Mungo's."

 

Harry still didn't trust his godfather, especially after the man bullied his papa, and tried to separate him from Draco. However, he wouldn't wish being kidnapped and possibly tortured by the Dark Lord and Bellatrix on his worst enemy, and despite Sirius' betrayal, he wasn't an enemy, just someone who acted childishly and irresponsibly.

 

"We have to help him!  Voldemort's probably trying to hurt me. Someone must have told him that Sirius is my godfather."  Sirius was an easier target than Lucius or Severus, who were constantly on alert.  He was still upset with Sirius but leaving him in such evil company would be wrong.

 

Blaise nodded. "I thought as much.  Why don't you send the elves to Narcissa with the babies?  I'll firecall Neville and Adrian.  They'll want to know what Bellatrix is about."

 

"Did you contact Colin or Dennis?" Coraline asked.

 

"No, I didn't, Coraline.  Colin is visiting Seamus' family. They're probably making arrangements for their bonding."

 

"I'll floo them both," Coraline said, her voice stern.

 

For a brief moment, Harry wondered how much like his mother - no, _their_ mother - Coraline was.  He sighed, "All right, but you're not coming."

 

"Oh yes, I am!" Coraline snapped, her hazel eyes flashing behind her silver glasses.

 

Harry held up his hands. "Magically, you can handle it, I know that. I'm just worried about you." He was her older brother, her only blood family, and he had to protect her.

 

"I appreciate that, but I am going," Coraline said, setting Artemis down in her crib then hurrying off to firecall her Dennis and his brother.

 

XoooooX

 

Blaise hurried off to firecall Adrian and Neville at Longbottom Hall as well as Remus and Severus at Wisteria Meadows.  The sooner they were all assembled the better.

 

The fire flashed green as it connected with a floo at Longbottom Hall and nervously Blaise stuck his head into the floo.

 

"Yes?"

 

Blaise winced slightly.  That imperious voice was unmistakable; it had always intimidated him. "Lady Longbottom? Would Adrian or Neville be around? I am sorry to be an imposition, but I need to speak with one or both of them."

 

"Regarding?"

 

Blaise swallowed.  "The woman responsible for the attack on your son and his wife."

 

"Bellatrix? I was quite dismayed that Neville was allowed to face her this past March but proud that his efforts did his parents honour. What has that insufferable madwoman done now?" Lady Augusta Longbottom spat.

 

"Attacked the Muggle Studies Professor, Charity Burbage-Black, outside St. Mungo's following an appointment with her Birth Healer, leaving her for dead and kidnapping Auror Black."

 

"I'll retrieve my grandson and Adrian. I expect you have some sort of plan?"

 

"We…do. I know where he's being held."

 

"Then we'll be right through. I have a score to settle with that terrible woman."

 

Blaise knew better than to argue with the woman; she had nerves of steel. It would be like fighting with a very stubborn Lady Narcissa Malfoy or Andromeda Tonks. There was a reason she was on the Council of Magical Law!

 

Less than ten minutes later, Adrian came through the floo followed by Neville and Augusta Longbottom.

 

Neville was no longer the shy, bumbling Gryffindor from his first few years. Facing the Dark Lord's familiar with the Sword of Gryffindor and then challenging Bellatrix during the Battle at Malfoy Manor had been the making of him.  He was clearly the Heir of Gryffindor and not an embarrassment to his ancestor's legacy. "That Woman attacked a pregnant professor?" He may not like the former Transfiguration Professor particularly, but to attack a pregnant woman was loathsome.

 

"Will Professor Burbage-Black be alright?" Adrian asked, worried.

 

Blaise grimaced. "I believe so, but I can't be sure. The Healers don't know."

 

"How do you - " Augusta began.

 

"He is a seer, my lady," Adrian interrupted and then had the decency to look apologetic.

 

"I see," Augusta said. "Where are we assembling?"

 

"Here. Coraline is summoning the Prewett twins, Colin and Dennis.  Seamus might come but I don't know for sure," Blaise replied.

 

"Why them?  They're rather young, aren't they?" Augusta had issues with her grandson "playing Auror."  He was her memento of her son, Francis, and his adorable wife, Alice, whom she had become quite fond of.

 

"Coraline is a very special witch, though not quite a seer.  She is insisting they come along." Blaise sighed, "Harry isn't happy about it."

 

"No, I am not," Harry said, entering the room. "Artemis and Tritan are safe at the Manor."

 

The floo flashed green; Lucius, Charlie, Draco and Hermione exited, looking grim.  Hermione was angry. "The nerve of that person, attacking a pregnant pureblood witch."

 

"Charity chose her own fate when she Bonded to Sirius; she knew that many consider him to be a Blood Traitor and had painted a target on his back," Lucius replied, trying to calm Hermione.  "Bellatrix has hated her cousin for years; she regarded his defection to Gryffindor as a betrayal.  From what I understand, Bellatrix wanted Sirius disowned the moment he was Sorted into Gryffindor.  She and her cronies tormented any Gryffindors they caught unaware."

"It was brushed off as inter-House rivalry," Andromeda said, having stepped through the floo just in time to hear that.  She looked at Lucius as she brushed soot off her clothing. "I contacted Nymphadora, who is informing Arthur.  We might have backup quickly."

 

"Severus went to fetch Remus and send the boys to Cissy," Lucius told her.  "He should be here soon."

 

It didn't take Coraline long to arrive with Caradoc, Colin and Dennis having fetched them from Eagle’s Nest, as well as, surprisingly, Seamus. Once Severus and Remus arrived, Lucius (who knew that flooing everyone into the Ministry would take too long) created a portkey that deposited them all in the hallway outside the entrance to the Department of Mysteries.

 

Severus immediately sensed Notice-Me-Not charms.  Remus smelled blood, as did Blaise. The three cast powerful spells that ended the Disillusionment spells.  Suddenly there were bodies lying on the floor.   Severus saw that they were injured Aurors and hurried to attend to them. "Just go, Remus; I've got it."

 

Remus was not leaving his Bondmate. "I'll watch your back. I'm not leaving you behind."

 

Lucius nodded at Lady Longbottom and Andromeda. "We can go ahead, then. In pairs. You two ladies can pair up. I'll stand with Caradoc."

 

Caradoc blushed.  He'd learned that despite Malfoy's reputation, he was a decent person. He  hadn't been sure at first what to think, but seeing Charlie Weasley, Gideon's nephew, allowed to be Bonded to a ward of the Malfoy family changed his mind. "I'd be honoured."

 

Coraline moved to stand shoulder to shoulder with her fiancé, Dennis, while his twin was practically attached at the hip to Seamus. Harry was of course with Draco, while Blaise was with Charlie and Neville would fight with Adrian at his side.

 

They entered the Department with wands drawn; more bodies strewed the corridor as if they had been flung every which way.

 

Lucius glanced at Blaise. "Where are we supposed to be?"

 

"The Hall of Prophecy," Blaise said quietly.

 

Lucius stiffened, smelling the ash-like smell of Death Eater Apparition; it lay heavy on the air. "Be careful. There may be more here than just Bellatrix and the Dark Lord."

 

Andromeda stepped out of the line to check the bodies of the Unspeakables while Augusta watched her back. "How are they?" she asked after a few moments of both whispered and silent diagnostic spells.

 

"Some broken bones, concussions.  Someone with a lot of anger and power flung them into walls and such. They've been here for hours." Andromeda closed her eyes. "At least two are dead - the older ones.  They had little bone strength and the crashes killed them."

As she spoke, she placed the surviving Unspeakables in Healing stasis. "It should keep the more delicate cases alive. If there is to be any duelling, it must not be here.  I can't guarantee they'll survive the exposure to such wild magic."

 

Lucius nodded grimly. "I've been in here once but I don't know the way."

 

Blaise closed his eyes; he remembered his dream and began walking. "This way." No wandering into random chambers for them. This was a matter of importance.

 

"Be careful, there are Death Eaters about," Lucius reminded them.

 

They followed Blaise, keeping their senses sharp. It didn't take the Veela long to locate the door to the Hall of Prophecy. The door, however, was locked.

 

Blaise glared at it.

 

Harry nudged him aside, holding out his hand; his trust in his magic had grown. A key made of light shot from his hand and the door sprang open.

 

Augusta was shocked; Coraline Potter wasn't the only one with special magic.

 

"Where to now?" Harry asked quietly.

 

Blaise sensed the presence of other magic users.  Coraline felt almost faint, the concentration of Dark Magic was that oppressive.

 

Dennis steadied her. "You all right, Cora?"

 

Coraline swallowed. "They are here. A lot of them…"

 

"Where?" Lucius had moved towards her.

 

"Hiding in the shadows, I think."

 

Harry laughed, his voice strong, echoing in the vast chamber. "Dawnburst!"

 

The light bursting from Harry flooded the room.  Not just any light, but the bright radiance of dawn breaking through the darkness of night.

 

There came the sound of mocking laughter.  Those who had fought at Malfoy Manor knew that sound. There were no more shadows left to hide in; even Disillusionment spells had been broken.

 

Lucius cursed. "So much for the element of surprise."

 

Coraline shook her head. "Forget surprise, Mr Lucius, they knew we were here."

 

"Listen to the pretty little girl."

 

Lucius' face twisted with hatred. "Old Nott!"

 

"So afraid to face your master that you had to come hiding behind a bunch of children?" Theo Nott's father smirked.

 

Harry's wand slipped back into his holster. Maybe this could be resolved peacefully. "Just give us back my godfather and we'll go peacefully."

 

"Is baby Potty afraid of a fight?"

 

The faces of the veterans of the attack on Malfoy Manor hardened; they all recognised that hateful voice.

 

"We're not afraid of you, bitch!" Neville snapped, the Sword of Gryffindor humming in his hand.

 

Bellatrix took a step back, dragging forward a limp, pale, possibly corpse-like Sirius.

 

Andromeda wasn't sure he was even alive. "What have you done, Bella?"

 

"Taught this traitor a lesson for siding against my master.  Removed filth from the family.  I'll make sure the three of you die today and then I'll deal with weak-willed Cissy," Bella sneered, her gaze moving from Andromeda to Lucius and then to Draco. 

 

Draco roared, "You'll leave my mother alone!" Swirling magic leapt from his body, turning into a sort of cyclone. It didn't damage the prophecies but it did spin the Death Eaters around, setting them down in awkward poses and leaving them dizzy and staggering.

 

He was certain that his mad aunt had numbered himself, his father and Aunt Andromeda as the three persons she wished to kill personally since she’d already claimed to have removed Sirius' filth from the family.

 

Andromeda caught the body of her cousin as the whirlwind dropped him before rejoining Draco's magic. His life force was faint, fainter than that of the Unspeakables outside, and being whirled around in Draco's magic hadn't helped any. She worried there was little she could do for him.

 

"Foolish boy. We were going to trade the mutt for the Prophecy. Now you'll trade the Prophecy for your lives," came the high, sharp, cold voice of the Dark Lord Voldemort.

 

"Trade that useless Prophecy for our lives?" Blaise scoffed."A fool spoke it.  Prophecy is fluid, ever-changing. I should know, being a Seer myself. You call yourself the Heir of Slytherin? The boy you apparently passed over is the Hero of Gryffindor, the Wielder of the Sword. The boy you chose is the Lion!  I don't know which enemy is worse." 

 

For just a moment, Voldemort looked blank, then his red eyes blazed with hatred.  Hatred, Blaise realised smugly, because the Dark Lord had no knowledge of that prophecy and therefore no idea what Blaise was talking about. "How would you know? How dare you speak such to your betters!" Voldemort snarled. 

 

Blaise snorted. "My better? You? Ha! You're descended from Slytherin through your magically weak mother, who was practically a Squib. You killed your first person at sixteen when you killed Myrtle, the weepy Muggleborn Ravenclaw. Then you murdered your own Muggle relatives, your grandparents and father, using your magical uncle as a scapegoat."

 

"Silence!" Voldemort hissed.

                                                          

"Why the hell should I? I'm not one of your pathetic little Death Eaters. I'm not blindly following a crazy man who claims to be a descendant of Slytherin but is deliberately hiding his blood status," Blaise taunted.

 

Bellatrix seemed torn between hatred of the self-purported Seer and her pureblood sensibilities that called on her to think less of anyone with less than pure blood. "Master, tell me it isn't true. Tell me you aren't a dirty Halfblood."

 

"Don't listen to him! He's lying."

 

"You want to hear a real prophecy, Tom?"

 

The Dark Lord's turned his icy-cold, red, slitted eyes on Blaise. "What did you call me?"

 

Blaise smirked.  "The name your mother, Merope Gaunt, gave you before she died: Tom Marvolo Riddle, named for your Muggle father and maternal grandfather, neither of whom would claim a dirty little Halfblood like you.  Marvolo Gaunt, your grandfather, nearly strangled your mother to death when he heard from his son, Morfin, that she was hanging out the window to look at a Muggle."

 

"Someday, you impudent little brat," the Dark Lord hissed, "you will regret spreading such tales hoping to destroy my family.  Lucius, your betrayal is not forgotten." He disappeared in a puff of ashy smoke.

 

Lucius, Andromeda and Augusta knew that it should be impossible to Apparate inside the Ministry but someone had obviously messed with the wards.

 

Bellatrix had clearly come to a decision. "I'll kill you. You should have known better than to spread such lies."

 

Blaise snorted. "I'm a Veela Seer, I can see through time as if through water.  I saw his past.  What I said was the truth; why else did it upset him? Why does he hate Dumbledore? Because Dumbledore knows him for who he is: a crazy, power-mad Halfblood Slytherin."

 

"Shut up!" Bella screeched, raising her wand.  "Ava -"

 

Blaise let her get no further.  He paused time somehow, moving Old Nott into the path of the curse, and then let time resume.

 

"- da Kadavra!"

 

"Bellatrix? What?" Old Nott said before the green light crashed into him and he crumpled to the floor.

 

The Death Eaters screamed with rage.  Old Nott was dead, Bellatrix and her husband, Rabastan, Avery Jr., Walden Macnair, Antonin Dolohov, Crabbe, Goyle, Augustus Rookwood, Travers, Mulciber, Jugson, Gibbons and at least three other Death Eaters whose masks Lucius didn't recognise moved into offensive duelling stances.

 

Harry, Draco, Blaise, Hermione, Coraline, Adrian, Neville, Dennis, Seamus and Colin formed a block standing together.

 

Lucius, Andromeda, Charlie, Caradoc and Augusta threw themselves at Death Eaters.  Andromeda would have gone for her sister but Lady Longbottom beat her to it, so she went after her brother-in-law, Rabastan Lestrange.

 

Lucius went after Rookwood, judging him to be the most dangerous.

 

Charlie took on Macnair, knowing he worked in the Magical Creature Department and he felt that he was the best wizard for t duel.

 

Caradoc knew Dolohov was responsible for Gideon's death so it was him that he went after in a puff of white smoke.

 

Before the so-called children could really fight, Aurors or at least faces they recognised - Kingsley Shacklebolt, Head of the Department of International Relations; Arthur, Head Auror; Dora, Mad-Eye and a few others - suddenly appeared, probably as result of Blaise’s tip-off of the invasion. They leapt at the remaining Death Eaters, spells already shooting from their wands.

 

Draco, Harry and Hermione went after Crabbe.

 

Blaise disappeared in a flash, somehow managing to Apparate to join Charlie in his duel with Macnair even though he'd never had a lesson in Apparation.

 

Coraline, Dennis, Seamus and Colin went after Dolohov, who had just stopped duelling while Apparating with Caradoc. Coraline knew that Dennis' bearer wasn't recovered enough to duel on his own. 

 

Neville and Adrian joined Augusta in duelling Bellatrix.  Remus stormed in without Severus, teaming with Dora to fight Travers.

 

The duel was slowly progressing out of the Hall of Prophecy.  One by one, each duelling group Disapparated.  There were screams when they all emerged in the Entrance Hall of the Ministry.

 

Kingsley yelled, "Everyone not duelling, get out!"  Chaos ensued as people scrambled to find a safe path through the duelling parties.

 

Sparks flew as spell clashed on spell and shield.  Soon the Hall was full of stunned Death Eaters, Aurors and other duellists. Some were under the Body Bind Curse while others were bound with ropes from head to toe.  There were also far too many innocent victims moaning with pain or worryingly still and silent.

 

The duels had been wild and tiring.  Just as they were all about to catch a breath, out of the shadows appeared Voldemort and Dumbledore, already engaged in a fierce battle.

 

Blaise spotted the Phoenix, Fawkes.  He stumbled over to Charlie. "Go get George, we need him!" Water could contain or at least weaken fire.  Charlie noticed the Phoenix, understanding in a moment and Disapparating in a puff of white smoke.

 

The remaining exhausted Death Eaters and defenders were watching as the two reputed strongest Wizards faced off.

 

Bellatrix was down, covered in scorch marks from Neville's fire magic as well as spells cast by his grandmother and his boyfriend. The madwoman who'd been in part responsible for his father's death and his mother's memory loss was unconscious, at least. Although he hoped dead so she couldn't hurt anyone else.

 

Draco had Hermione and Harry behind his shield.

 

Coraline had taken out Crabbe with her Soul Reflection spell, which ripped through his shield when it became clear that Crabbe was just going to hide behind it instead of fighting them.  He had probably expired screaming, but between Bellatrix's mocking, mad laughter and the sounds of the battle no one heard him.

 

The battle between Dumbledore and Voldemort was violent and destructive.  The statue of Magical Brethren was torn apart and various pieces hurled or enchanted to fight one another.  As if a giant poisonous green snake trying to destroy an equally oversized red Phoenix wasn't bad enough.

 

Blaise was nearly certain that Voldemort’s transfigured snake was a larger version of his deceased familiar and Albus’ conjured version of a giant Phoenix.

 

Unexpectedly a massive wall of water slammed through the Entrance Hall.  Blaise silently cheered; George had come through!  He searched for the Phoenix and barely restrained an exultant "Yes!"

 

Fawkes was caged.  The Phoenix Dumbledore was controlling had been extinguished by exposure to its opposite element.

 

The shock halted Voldemort's magic and he stopped in his tracks. "You pathetic excuse for a wizard!"

 

There came an earthquake that shook the Ministry. "Don't you dare try to touch my brother!"

 

"Now, Weasley, don't get involved with fights that are between your betters," Dumbledore sneered at the irate Fred, who had suddenly shown up along with his twin.

 

"Betters? You?" Harry chortled; he'd gained a lot more self-confidence since their first meeting. "You will never be better than us, because you stopped believing." He called down lightning strikes that just managed to miss both combatants as they dodged.

 

"You'll pay for your interference, boy!" Dumbledore shouted.

 

"You'll all pay!" Voldemort hissed.

 

Sensing the still standing Death Eaters were about to Apparate away, Hermione pointed her wand at them and yelled, "Petrificus Totalus Magna!"

 

Voldemort and Dumbledore had disappeared before the spell left her lips, and only one Death Eater was slow enough to be caught by it.

 

Amelia called out from the lift whose anti-Apparation wards she'd strengthened. "Kingsley? Are you all right? Is it safe to come out?"

 

Severus Apparated into the Entrance Hall, and a long, complex, strong anti-Apparation ward that he'd created for all their homes fell from his lips. "The wards have been strengthened, Minister Bones."

 

Kingsley called out, exhausted, after conferring with Arthur, "It's safe, Amelia."

 

Minister for Magic Amelia Bones left the lift, scanning him for injuries and finding nothing serious. "Why are _you_ here, Kingsley?  Where is Scrimgeour?  He should be here."

 

Arthur spoke up, "Scrimgeour is out in the field following a tip. Auror Moody had just returned from an assignment. We met Kingsley on our way to the Department of Mysteries."

 

"What is the status of that Department?" Amelia asked.

 

Andromeda sighed. "Two dead, multiple injuries. They were flung into walls. I put Auror Black in stasis but he might not be healable."

 

"Oh dear, poor Charity. They've not been married long," Amelia said. "Any other casualties?"

 

Severus was weary. "I lost an Auror, one of the two Arthur had stationed outside the Department of Mysteries. The other will need time to recover, but he should be all right. They were both thrown into walls."

 

"Which Auror?" Kingsley and Arthur asked together.

 

Severus shook his head. "I didn't get his name."

 

Arthur sighed as he went to check on his Aurors who'd followed him into the Department of Mysteries.

 

Severus and Andromeda checked on the children, the Aurors and the other adults. They cast a few healing spells, ordering a few to head to St. Mungo's.  Harry, Draco and Hermione were all right, just a bit dirty from duelling in a dusty place.

 

Andromeda was stoic upon finding out that her mad sister Bellatrix had almost expired as a result of her duel with the Longbottoms and Pucey.  Finding no evidence of illegal spells she left her, though something was nagging at her to remain; she resolved to check on her again, later.  Caradoc hadn't gone easy on Dolohov either; the man was barely alive, yet no magical means would save him so she passed him by. She hadn't really noticed that Caradoc had assistance bringing Dolohov to that state.

 

Severus was tending to Aurors as well as his friends. Lucius merely had a bloody nose, which he dealt with easily, Remus had a sprained wrist and Lady Longbottom had twisted her ankle duelling Bellatrix. A few spells fixed those injuries.

 

Somehow it was the adults who came out worse for wear; the 'kids' were merely dirty and tired.  Other than the Auror who'd expired before Severus arrived at the Ministry and possibly Sirius, Arthur hadn't lost anyone else.

 

Andromeda approached Arthur. "Avery and Crabbe are dead, Dolohov is dying. Macnair and Rabastan are unconscious, Rookwood may never walk again, and Bellatrix is badly injured. The rest I believe are conscious.  Bellatrix killed Nott somehow.  That makes four dead or dying Death Eaters, three unconscious, Rookwood's injured. One Death Eater under the Body-Bind Curse, two tied up."

 

Lucius counted. "That means two escaped with the Dark Lord. He shouldn't have brought so many along." Some of his most loyal were dead or too badly injured to be of any help for a long time, if ever.  Between Blaise's baiting of the Dark Lord, Dumbledore's appearance and subsequent duel, the Dark Lord had lost status.  Goyle was the only one of the Death Eaters that Lucius knew who was still remaining.  It wouldn't be like the Dark Lord to put today out of his mind, especially if Goyle was promoted to a position of prominence due to the elimination of most of Voldemort's inner circle.

 

Blaise had managed to reach the cage made of water that George wielded.  Fred had backed him up by causing that earthquake or whatever it was. It did knock some people off balance.

 

Amelia shook hands with everyone who had duelled the Death Eaters, pausing with Lady Longbottom and her grandson. "I'm sure your son would be quite proud of you."

 

Augusta nodded, sniffing. "At least we still have Alice. We can be a family, we three,"

 

Adrian wrapped an arm around Neville's waist. "The four of us."

 

Augusta held out her own hand to shake Adrian's. "The four of us." The Slytherin was an honourable gentleman, graduating as Head Boy with high marks; he'd also been offered a place with two professional Quidditch teams prior to graduation. If his year marks and O.W.L.s were anything to go by, his N.E.W.T.s would be all Outstandings and Exceeds Expectations.

 

Draco had joined his brother. "So you caught him?"

 

Blaise smirked. "I had planned on it. Well, at some point capturing it."

 

Fred cursed under his breath as the Phoenix thrashed in his water prison created by his twin.  Amelia blinked. "Is that Fawkes?"

 

Blaise snorted and then apologised. "No, although that is what that mad individual calls him. His proper name is - "

 

At this, the Phoenix screeched and thrashed more violently.

 

" – Gellert; I have no idea where the name 'Fawkes' came from.  He's not a true Phoenix, just cursed." Blaise smirked at the purported Phoenix.

 

"Gellert is an unusual name…" Amelia mused.

 

"Minister, I recommend that we see to the Aurors and prisoners," Arthur said, bowing slightly.

 

"Of course, Head Auror.  I'll trust your judgement." She nodded.

 

Arthur noticed Caradoc examining his sons.  Dennis was sporting a bloody nose and a definite air of smugness while Colin simply looked wrung out.  A battle was no place for a child.

 

Coraline tended to Dennis' nose, banishing blood and using an Episkey to heal it.

 

Dennis grinned. "That was exciting."

 

"Should have forbidden it," Caradoc muttered, but his fiancé, Gideon, had been avenged by himself and his sons so he couldn't regret it too much.

 

Andromeda returned to examine Bellatrix again, realising she'd missed something. When she'd finished the examination, she was stunned. Somehow despite the ferocity of the duel and her injuries, Bella had held onto a pregnancy; the child was weak but still had a chance.  She summoned Arthur. "Bellatrix is weak, and might not survive.  Arthur…she's pregnant, at least four months gone.  It's a boy…"

 

Arthur bore the child no ill will. "Take her to St. Mungo's. She can be cared for in the Janus Thickey Ward." How apropos that Frank's attacker would end up in the same ward he'd expired in. 

 

Andromeda lifted the broken body of her sister, reluctantly remembering when they were young together.  She'd do her best to see that the child survived. 

 

No one noticed her leaving.

 

The Entrance Hall to the Ministry would need extensive repairs thanks to Dumbledore and Lord Voldemort. With the loss of so many ranking Death Eaters, the Dark Lord would have trouble rising to the heights he and many others had expected him to.

 

 

 

  
 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?


	8. Visions, Daily Prophets and curses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you BAFan for being so patient! I really think that the fic is fleshing out much better thanks to her efforts

Title: The Truth Behind the Name and the Lies pt. 6

Pairing: DracoxHarry, OliverxPercy, twincest? Ect.

Fandom: HP

Notes: An abused boy finds out he's a wizard and a hero; his tormented mind rebels. One person sees through the misconceptions to the real Harry and treats him the way he deserves. How does this change them both and those around them?

 

 

**The Truth Behind the Name pt6 (8-03)**

**Kusanosakura**

 

Pairing: DracoxHarry, OliverxPercy, twincest? **Etc.**

 

**Chapter 8- Visions, Daily Prophet and curse**

 

Draco pored over the books on Horcruxes - well, the books that briefly mentioned them because _of course_ neither the Manor nor Hogwarts had books that significantly _explained_ them. How the Dark Lord managed to discover the incantation he had no idea, for he had yet to find it. Not that he had any desire to use it himself.  He preferred to keep his hands clean, even if perhaps the Death Eater he'd duelled ended up dead.

 

Blaise was reluctantly dredging up the memories of their creation and writing it down in a journal in case they needed to review it.  He would be removing the memories intact and at some point seeing if he could find a way to forget them entirely.

 

"So we know how he made the first two Horcruxes, one of which is already destroyed, but the other is still…"

 

Blaise glared at his brother. "I haven't Seen where he might have placed it yet. In the space of a week, mind you, merely three or four days after you asked me, I had my first vision of the past. I almost hate you for wanting this ability of mine used this way. I've watched him kill four people, make two Horcruxes and ruin one man's life. I don't care if that man was scum of the earth but he no doubt suffered for murders he didn't commit. These visions upset me enough that my daughter Athena notices and worries. She's only fourteen months old; I don't want her to know about the things I have to See - "

 

He stopped in mid-rant.

 

Looking up sharply,  Draco watched with concern as Blaise's eyes rolled back into his head, the quill dropping from his fingers and splashing ink on the table. His brother collapsed in his chair.  Draco could do nothing but summon an elf for chocolate and food while waiting for Blaise to wake from his vision.

 

XoooooX

_Blaise found himself in the Hogwarts battlements.  Tom Riddle, the future Dark Lord, was walking towards a vaguely familiar, slim female ghost in grey._

_"Madam."  Riddle bowed, the Gaunt family ring glittering on his finger._

_Blaise curled his lip in disgust.  How could anyone fail to see that the air of respect was faked?_

_The Grey Lady looked as if she would blush but then one remembered she was dead. "What is it you want, Mr Riddle? I never grant attention or advice to those outside my House."_

_"I wished to speak to you.  I overheard one day a pair of your Housemates discussing something about Lady Rowena's lost Diadem. They swore they would find it, as one claimed he had found a clue to its whereabouts in the castle."_

_The ghost stiffened. "It may be lost but for them to find it here_ _is impossible, as it does not rest here."_

_Riddle looked at the ground, feigning shyness. "I like puzzles and riddles.  I once hoped to become a member of your House."_

_The Grey Lady looked pleased. "With your marks and the way your teachers rave about you, no doubt you would have made an excellent addition to my old House."_

_Blaise snorted to himself.  Not likely!_

_Voldemort continued, "Perhaps the Diadem shouldn't stay lost. Hasn't it been gone long enough? I have no immediate plans following graduation, perhaps I could go retrieve it for you and return it to where it belongs."_

_The Grey Lady's eyes narrowed. "What makes you so sure I know where it rests?"_

_"You are the daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw, who better?" Riddle said in awe. "Surely you have some idea."_

_The Grey Lady looked away. "Perhaps I do know where it is. It has been 'lost' for over nine centuries. Why should I tell you when I won't even tell members of my own House?"_

_"If it was lost because you borrowed it without asking to try it on - "_

_"That's not what happened," the Grey Lady protested._

_"I promise not to tell what really happened. I would love nothing more than to restore the Diadem where it belongs. I too am an orphan, all I have left of my family is my grandfather's ring. You and I also have something in common."_

_The ghost asked, "What is that?"_

_"We are both descendants of the Founders."_

_"Why should I trust a Slytherin? Mother did and they **he** killed me in a rage when I didn't agree to go back with them **him** or to accept their **his** request to be Bonded." The Grey Lady looked away. _

_Riddle's eyes flickered briefly with anger before he spoke in that same gentle but fake tone: "I swear that I will return it here to Hogwarts if I find it."_

_The Grey Lady searched his face. "Very well. Once there was a girl named Helena who was jealous of her mother's cleverness and wished to outshine her, but nothing she tried worked. So she took the Diadem, which bestowed wisdom upon its wearer, hoping that wearing it would help her achieve her goal. She ran away with the Diadem and went travelling through the continent. Her mother didn't tell anyone, not even her fellow founders Godric Gryffindor or Helga Hufflepuff, about its loss. Slytherin had left long before the Diadem disappeared with Helena. Soon after, Rowena fell ill, perhaps due to a broken heart. She sent a man who had always loved Helena after her daughter, hoping he might persuade her to return, but instead he killed her. That man is now the Bloody Baron."_

_Blaise blinked.  The Bloody Baron was the suitor of Miss Helena?_

_"He caught up to her in a forest in Albania. Desiring to protect the Diadem, she hid it in the hollow trunk of a tree." The ghost seemed deep in thought._

_"Albania is tiny; it shouldn't be too hard to find that tree," Riddle mused._

_"You promise that you'll return it to the castle?"_

_"Of course, my lady," Riddle promised._

 

Blaise shivered.  That would be a promise he doubted the young soon-to-be Dark Lord would keep.

 

XoooooX

 

With Draco and Blaise at the Manor, no doubt, Harry was off visiting Remus with his children when he noticed the front page of the day's paper that Remus was reading. He'd brought along texts to study for his exam for St. Mungo's.  He wouldn't take the entrance exam until Artemis and Tritan were a few years older but that didn't mean he couldn't have a firm handle on the basics of Healing prior to that.  After all, Aunt Annie and Miss Cissy, as well as his papa, were Healers, so they could tutor him.  He had a firm handle on brewing, so he wouldn't fail that portion of the exam. He might later decide, like Aunt Annie and his papa, to get certified as a Potions Master as well. It was always best to be able to brew for yourself. He scanned the articles he could see on the front page of the paper.

 

**_The Daily Prophet_ **

****

**_Mr Ollivander's Mysterious Disappearance?_ **

_Garrick Ollivander of Ollivander's Wands is believed to have disappeared. Neighbours claim he hasn't been sighted at his place of business and residence since last Friday.  A source within the Auror Department says that there might have been signs of a struggle at his place of business, but no one reported any disturbance near Ollivander's Wands any time near to when he was last seen._

_Anyone with information regarding the incident or who was near Ollivander's Wands last Friday between five and seven in the evening is requested to contact the Aurors._

**_Muggles Frightened As Bridges Collapse_ **

_The rumours that You-Know-Who are back were confirmed when Death Eaters attacked the Ministry of Magic on the 27th of June, as previously reported. According to Auror Tonks, a spokeswitch for the Department, "Most of the Death Eaters who attacked the Unspeakables were captured. Investigation as to how they managed to infiltrate the Ministry as well as Apparate inside the Department of Mysteries is still ongoing. There were two known casualties among Ministry personnel, but names will not be released until all victims have been identified and the families have been notified. We wish to calm the fears of the Wizarding Public.  Many of the escaped prisoners from Azkaban have been captured. Of those captured only Lady Lestrange is still living, though due to injuries received during a duel with a member of the Council of Magical Law, she is not expected to live long."_

_The Brockdale Bridge and the still-under-construction Millennium Bridge were, according to Auror Tonks, to have been brought down by Death Eaters. It is seems that despite the casualties among the Death Eaters on June 27th, there were still significant enough numbers of them to damage something as sturdily built as this massive bridge._

_Many parts of Muggle London are also suffering from dark, cold fogs despite the warm summer. Aurors are having a difficult time due to the numbers of Dementors congregating there. Wizards and witches are recommended to avoid Muggle London as much as possible._

_Any witches or wizards residing in Muggle London are warned to stay inside and be sure of their ability to cast the Patronus Charm._

 

Harry blinked. "Dad?"

 

Remus glanced up. "Yes?"

 

"Mr Ollivander is missing? The guy who sold me my wand?"

 

"It appears so."

 

"I wonder why?" Harry's brow furrowed. "You don't think…"  His voice trailed off.

 

"Think what, pup?" Remus asked, setting down his paper.

 

"That it might have something to do with me? Remember at the Ministry? He wasn't keen to duel me again. He didn't know about our wands being brothers. Draco did; he warned me that our wands wouldn't duel with each other. That's why I borrowed Draco's to stun the Dark Lord with. He might have wanted to talk to Ollivander, to ask about the nature of the connection with the wands. He would want to know what he could do if we have to duel again." He frowned. "I wonder why he didn't think to use another wand like I did."

 

Remus was thoughtful.  "Who knows, that might be too simple, so it might not be the right answer. Perhaps you're not looking at it from the right angle. Think about it, if they are Fawkes' feathers and he's not a real phoenix, what happens if the curse gets broken? Voldemort's wand might be useless. Yours, on the other hand, may or may not still work because it has a dual core."

 

Harry was stunned, he'd never considered that.  What would he do if Ollivander was never recovered and his wand became half useless?

 

Remus was thinking about something Harry said earlier. _Had_ Voldemort been avoiding Harry at the Ministry?  He realised he didn't know because he'd stayed with Severus while he tended to the injured Aurors, and by the time he'd joined the others the battle was in full force and then the Dark Lord was fully engaged in his epic duel with Dumbledore.  "Harry, you said Voldemort was actively avoiding having to duel with you at the Ministry?"

 

Harry shrugged. "Yeah, it sure seemed that way.  I mean, he hardly even looked at me and never said a word to me directly, which you've got to admit is not like him.  Usually, he's all taunting and sneering, if not flinging actual curses at me.  Didn't you notice the difference?"

 

"I was with Severus until the battle started," Remus reminded him.  "I didn't really see Voldemort until everyone was already fighting."

 

Harry blinked.  "Oh yeah, I forgot."  He paused.  "Okay but, well, there's something else that's odd.  You know Blaise's vision?"

 

"About Sirius?  Yeah," Remus nodded.

"Well, Blaise told me afterwards that in his vision Bella was telling Sirius that she couldn't touch the Prophecy orb because of her Dark Mark, and that's why she was trying to force him to steal it - "

 

"What?" Remus interrupted, incredulous.  "That's - "

 

"Bollocks," Harry nodded.  "Yeah, I know.  The Mark had nothing to do with it.  Only the subjects of a prophecy can touch that prophecy's orb, so why would she even say that?"

 

"I don't know that that's common knowledge, pup," Remus said consideringly, "but Sirius was an Auror and certainly he would have been aware of it."  A pang went through him as he thought of his old friend, limp and bloody and broken following his ordeal at the hands of Bellatrix.  Sirius had come out of Azkaban with his sanity mostly intact, but those long, terrible years had done nothing for his maturity level.  He'd simply been unable - or perhaps unwilling - to change his early beliefs about Slytherins in general, and Severus in particular, and it had driven a huge wedge between them.  For Sirius to have died before they could resolve that only added to Remus' grief.

 

Harry broke into his thoughts.  "Maybe Bellatrix didn't know about it.  But why wouldn't Voldemort have said something?  Blaise said he was standing right there.  Do you think it's possible that _he_ didn't know?"

 

Remus shook his head.  "I don't know, Harry.  I do think that Sirius was just bait to lure you there.  It didn't matter to Voldemort what Bella believed or said to Sirius; the torture was the important thing."

 

It was puzzling that Voldemort went to that much trouble to get Harry to the Ministry and then barely looked at him.  Did this have anything to do with their wands being brothers? Sometimes it felt as if Voldemort, like Bellatrix, lacked sense and reacted on a similar hair trigger.

 

Harry cared about Sirius abstractly; he was someone’s husband and soon-to-be someone’s father. However, Sirius did not have a close relationship with Harry due to his own choices. How much of that was Sirius’ stubbornness and how much was a result of his time in Azkaban, Harry didn’t know. They had gone to the Ministry to attempt to rescue his estranged godfather mostly for his unborn child’s sake than because Harry had an emotional attachment to the Auror.  Rescuing Sirius in the hopes of retrieving him for proper burial, if not healing, was important. For his wife and child’s sake, Harry would have preferred the git was alive, but Bellatrix had tortured him for too long and even Andromeda couldn’t save him.

XoooooX

 

It took a while before Blaise awoke.  Draco had banished the spilt ink long ago. When he noticed Blaise beginning to stir, he levitated the cup of chocolate in front of his brother; the journal had already been moved to rest nearer the inkpot and quill. The cup of chocolate landed lightly without a clatter in front of the young Veela Seer.

 

Blaise blinked, sitting up slowly to avoid making himself dizzy. He took a grateful sip of the chocolate, feeling it revitalise him. He sighed. "That was unexpected but it answers my question."

 

Draco tried not to badger him about the vision. "What question?"

 

"What the icon of Ravenclaw House is. It's the Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw. I was planning on asking Coraline but now I don't have to. So we have to find the Ring bearing the Resurrection Stone, which is Harry's by right because he is a descendant of the Peverells. I know Riddle would have used Slytherin's Locket if he had found it. Rowena's Diadem, of course - I'm sure he found it. We already destroyed the diary; he used Myrtle, as I told you before. He created a Horcrux out of the Peverell Ring by killing his Muggle relations. I hate seeing him kill people but at least these are already long dead."

 

"For that, Blaise, I am truly sorry, but for now you are the only weapon we have," Draco told him, apologetically but firmly. "Despite the arrests, injuries or death of the Dark Lord's inner circle, there are still many supporters on the continent. I hope Father does not have to leave. He is a member of the Wizengamot Committee on International Relations. With his standing and defection from the Dark Lord's ranks as well as his success against the Death Eaters, he would prove a powerful voice in persuading people and Ministries against siding with him."

 

XoooooX

 

Hermione, Coraline and Severus had sealed themselves in a disused room in the cellar, bowels, dungeon- whatever you wanted to call it - of Malfoy Manor.

 

Severus, who understood spell creation best, had come with Hermione - smartest witch of her age - and Coraline - the daughter of two mothers who were both involved in experimental charms. Although this curse on the man they believed was Gellert Grindelwald was intriguing from a spell creator's point of view, in reality, it was cruel. He cast a Rune Revealing charm that showed the runes comprising the spell and called each one out to Hermione who looked them up in her Spellman's Syllabary and Rune Dictionary.

 

Hermione looked up from her scribbled notes on the runes. "That man is a monster."

 

"Fawkes" was trapped behind a covering cage made of water, thrashing and seeming to squawk in annoyance.  Hermione was grateful he was under a silencing charm for otherwise, he would surely deafen her. 

 

"I still can't make head or tails of the runes making up this curse," Severus grumbled.

 

"We'll figure it out," Coraline said softly, wondering if one of their unique magic could help them…

 

Something like George’s water being able to imprison ‘Fawkes’? They seemed to make up ‘spells’ on a whim, Coraline wondered absently if they could create a spell that could unmake Fawkes…

 

Although, too much of George's magic might adversely injure ‘Fawkes.’

 

XoooooX

 

Andromeda was sitting in the Janus Thickey ward, between Bellatrix's and Charity's beds. Overseeing the care of the two women was exhausting when added to her duties as the Regent of the House of Black, although Charity had more hope of recovery than Bella. The longer they could keep Bella alive, the better chance her child had. Her middle sister was too crazy to have a baby; she'd put the fetus in danger by going to the Ministry. It could have caused a miscarriage.

 

It hadn't been long since both women were placed in this ward.

 

How did one tell Charity that her husband of only a few months was already dead despite Andromeda’s best efforts?  It would crush her. Charity Burbage had been in love with Sirius for years and believed in his innocence despite the "proof" offered to make his life sentence in Azkaban palatable. Sirius had undergone mandatory healing, both mental and physical, before being reinstated to active duty as an Auror, but between his attempt to shield Charity and his torture under the Cruciatus from Bellatrix, it had proven too great a shock to his system after Azkaban. Neither Andromeda nor Ted had been part of Sirius’ recovery after his release, and Andromeda had been annoyed that his Healers had ever cleared him to return to the Corps, especially in light of how his imprisonment had clearly contributed to his death.

Andromeda would not have given him a ‘clean bill of health’, she had noticed something that his previous healer missed or Sirius convinced them to ignore while examining him in the Department of Mysteries. Sirius had developed a subtle predisposition to stroke, had he never returned to active duty, it was likely that it might not have troubled him for twenty or thirty years. But being crucioed and knowing that his pregnant wife was injured had pushed Sirius likely over the edge, something that Andromeda recognised despite the duelling around them. He was to her knowledge anyway, the first former prisoner to be returned to Active Duty as an Auror and some things might have escaped the Ministry Healers’ notice. In her opinion, medically as well as familially speaking, Sirius had no business being an Auror than he had being a professor. He wasn’t stable enough for either, she only bonded him in the hopes that Charity and their bond would ground Sirius both magically and mentally.

 

It would be up to herself and Narcissa to decide what to do with Bellatrix's child.  As much as she wanted another child, could she raise this child as her own, even blood adopted? Narcissa was also pregnant, with another son. Wouldn't it be easier to pretend they were twins?

 

Nymphadora was an only child because Andromeda's womb couldn't hold a pregnancy well. It was the wrong shape, or so her birth Healer had claimed but Andromeda had resisted casting spells to determine the veracity of that claim. She'd lost two children after Nymphadora and after the second miscarriage, she was warned a fourth pregnancy might kill her. She loved her strange daughter, but could she really handle being the mother of a newborn and a grandmother at the name time? Although Narcissa seemed to be thriving on it...

 

She wanted Sirius' daughter to live… almost as much as she wanted her mad sister's child to live. Although, it didn't deserve a mother like Bella or a father like Rodolphus or Rabastan.  Well, no child did, really.  After all, the three of them had been imprisoned for their attack on the Longbottoms, who were Aurors, and left them so mentally damaged that they didn’t even know their own son before.  Thanks to Coraline, Alice had been returned to consciousness and was being looked after to oversee her rehabilitation, but Frank had passed on after choosing to use the last of his magic to give her back to their son.

 

 

  
 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?


	9. Of joy and sorrow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you BAFan! Despite being on vacation, she still is finding time to Beta this story. If anyone is rereading and notices an improvement, it's her influence/assistance.

Title: The Truth Behind the Name and the Lies pt. 6  
Pairing: DracoxHarry, OliverxPercy, twincest? Etc.  
Fandom: HP  
Notes: An abused boy finds out he's a wizard and a hero; his tormented mind rebels. One person sees through the misconceptions to the real Harry and treats him the way he deserves. How does this change them both and those around them?

 

**The Truth Behind the Name pt6 (9-03)**

**Kusanosakura**

 

 

Pairing: DracoxHarry, OliverxPercy, twincest? Ect **Etc**.

 

**Chapter 9- Of Joy and sorrow**

 

July 17, 1996

 

The invitations for Seamus and Colin's Bonding had gone out two weeks after the Battle of the Department of Mysteries.

 

Now today was the day

 

The Malfoy, Tonks, Prince and Weasley families had arrived at ten o'clock at Marcheness in Ireland to attend the Bonding. Marcheness was in Glendalough, an ancient city in County Wicklow, supposedly founded by St. Kevin in the Sixth Century. Monastic ruins, round towers and graves were some of the remnants of the ancient city that Muggles saw if they managed to stumble into the "Valley of Two Lakes."

 

Out of courtesy, because Molly was Colin's aunt, she had been sent an invitation, yet no one truly wanted her to attend, and sighs of relief went up when she didn't appear with the other Weasleys.

 

A large tent had been set up on the lawn before the large manor house. Between the lawn and the house was a cobbled walkway. Before the tent was one of the lakes in the "Valley of Two Lakes."  The tent was green and white.  It wasn't in honour of Slytherin, it was because they were considered lucky colours.

 

Seamus' grandfather and Charlie had come to an agreement that since the Prewett family had no one female to oversee the Bonding, it would be presided over by the O'Shanesey patriarch, Killian, and matriarch, Adara.

 

As it had also been agreed between them that the elder presumed heir, Fergus, though pureblood, was a terrible, thoughtless bully, Seamus was the acknowledged Heir. Thus his Bonding was considered of high importance.

 

Once it reached eleven o'clock, Killian set off a charm that pealed like bells to gain everyone's attention.

 

On the left side of the tent sat Seamus' family: his mother, Niamh; his father, Ian; his Aunt Aine, his Uncle Ryan, and his much-loathed cousin Fergus. There were other members of the Irish Wizarding community present to whom the O'Shaneseys were related.

 

On the right were Charlie, Blaise, and their four children, as well as Arthur, Carey and Dennis. Besides Dennis, of course, was Coraline. Behind them were Xeno, Severus, Remus, their sons Aurelian and Lucan, and of course Harry.  Accompanying Harry and sitting with Colin’s guests were his two children, Tritan and Artemis; his Bondmate, Draco; his father-in-law, Lucius; mother-in-law, Narcissa; and their daughter, Carina.  Andromeda, Ted, a very pregnant Dora and her Bondmate, Donnie.  Charity was still in the hospital but Hermione and Viktor were there.

 

So were the Weasley brothers and their families. There was Bill, Fleur, Victoire, Louis, Dominique, Roxanne and Gabriel. Fred and George came with Clarissa and Gawain. Percy had come with Oliver, their son Sean and his in-laws. Neville had come with his Gran as well as Adrian and his parents.

 

Killian O'Shanesey began the ceremony after the guests all seemed to have arrived and were seated. "We have come together here in celebration of the joining together of my grandson, Seamus Patrick Finnigan, to his beloved Colin, who was born for the House of Prewett and of the House Dearborn. Although Colin's sire could not be with us, his bearer, Caradoc, and his cousin, Lord Charles Prewett, are present. There are many things to say about the nature of Bonding. Much wisdom concerning the joining together of two souls, two lives has come our way through history and tradition. With each union, more knowledge is gained and more wisdom gathered. Though we are unable to give all this knowledge to these two who stand before us, we can hope to leave with them the knowledge of love and its strengths and the anticipation of the wisdom that comes with time. The law of life is love unto all beings. Without love, life is nothing; without love, death has no redemption."

 

Seamus heard his seanathair's words in Gaelic, but since no one seemed confused he suspected they understood it and assumed it was in English. 

 

His seanmháthair, Adara, spoke, likewise to Seamus in Gaelic. "Love is anterior to Life, posterior to Death, initial of Creation and the exponent of Earth. If we learn no more in life, let it be this: a Bonding is to be entered into only after considerable thought and reflection. As with any aspect of life, it has its cycles, its ups and its downs, its trials and its triumphs. With full understanding of this, Seamus and Colin have come here today to be joined as one. Traditionally, at this time it would be asked who offers Seamus' future consort to be Bound - " 

 

Fergus started and then glared at Seamus, having apparently just realised that his Halfblood cousin was the now acknowledged Heir to their grandfather.

 

Adara went on, " - but since Colin is not a woman, nor is he property to be bought and sold, given and taken, I ask simply if he comes of his own will to join with us and if he has his family's blessing. Colin, is it true that you come of your own free will and accord?"

 

Colin blushed. "Yes, it is true."

 

Killian was addressing Charlie though he was directing the question at Colin. "With whom do you come and whose blessings accompany you?"

 

Charlie stood. "He comes with us, his family. As Lord of his House of Prewett, in unison with his bearer and brother, we bless this Bonding with our consent."

 

Killian was beaming at Seamus in pride. "Please join hands with your betrothed and listen to that which I am about to say. Above you are the stars, below you are the stones.  As time doth pass, remember: like a stone, should your love be firm; like a star, should your love be constant. Let the powers of the mind and of the intellect guide you in your marriage, let the strength of your wills bind you together, let the power of love and desire make you happy, and the strength of your dedication make you inseparable. Be close, but not too close. Possess one another, yet be understanding."

 

Adara smiled at her garmhac and his betrothed. "Have patience with one another, for storms will come, but they will pass quickly. Be free in giving affection and warmth. Have no fear and let not the ways of the unenlightened give you unease, for love is with you always. Seamus, I have not the right to bind thee to Colin, only you have this right. If it be your wish, say so at this time."

 

Seamus grinned happily at Colin. "With all my heart."

 

Killian turned to his garmhac's heart. "Colin, if it be your wish for Seamus to be bound to you, say so now."

 

Colin blushed but found himself unable to speak; apparently his heart was too full for words.  He nodded instead.

 

Dennis called out, laughing, "That means yes! I ought to know, I'm his twin."

 

Colin turned, trying to glare, but failed. Sometimes he wondered who really was the elder twin. Since coming to the Wizarding World, it seemed that it was Dennis who was always looking out for him.

 

The tent filled with laughter.

 

Killian smiled at Seamus. "Repeat after me: I, Seamus Patrick Finnigan, in the spirit of the magic that resides within us all, by the life that courses within my blood and the love that resides within my heart, take thee, Colin Dion Prewett, to my hand, my heart, and my spirit, to be my Bondmate. To desire thee and be desired by thee, to possess thee, and be possessed by thee, without sin or shame, for neither can exist in the purity of my love for thee. I promise to love thee wholly and completely without restraint, in sickness and in health, in plenty and in poverty, in life and beyond, where we shall meet, remember, and love again. I shall not seek to change thee in any way. I shall respect thee, thy beliefs, thy people, and thy ways as I respect myself."

 

Seamus repeated those words with every bit of sincerity in his bones.

 

Colin spoke the same words, without a shred of doubt. "I, Colin Dion Prewett, in the spirit of the magic that resides within us all, by the life that courses within my blood and the love that resides within my heart, take thee, Seamus Patrick Finnigan, to my hand, my heart, and my spirit, to be my Bondmate. To desire thee and be desired by thee, to possess thee, and be possessed by thee, without sin or shame, for neither can exist in the purity of my love for thee. I promise to love thee wholly and completely without restraint, in sickness and in health, in plenty and in poverty, in life and beyond, where we shall meet, remember, and love again. I shall not seek to change thee in any way. I shall respect thee, thy beliefs, thy people, and thy ways as I respect myself."

 

Killian offered the chalice used at the family's Bondings. "I offer thee a drink of celebration from this chalice."

 

Seamus held the chalice to Colin's lips while he sipped, then Colin took the chalice and held it up to Seamus' mouth while he sipped.  Colin handed the chalice back to Shay's grandfather who was presiding over their bonding.  Killian replaced it on the Bonding altar.

 

Percy stepped forward with the Bonding contract.  The choice of witnesses might have seemed surprising to some.  Colin had Harry for his witness - well, that was no surprise, really - but Seamus seemed to have asked Oliver Wood of all people.

 

Why, one might ask?  Dennis was still underage; otherwise, Colin would have asked him. Harry was a good friend of both Colin and Seamus, but Colin had asked first. Seamus had a lot of respect for the former Gryffindor Keeper, and having realised that he couldn't in good conscience ask his cousins Fred or George **after Charlie strongly advised that he not ask Fred or George, hinting that the subject of Bonding was a painful one to them (although he didn't say why),** he chose to ask a fellow Lion Quidditch freak. Mostly because Charlie advised against it but without being specific.

 

So Harry and Oliver offered the quills to Colin and Seamus. As they signed the contract, magic leapt from the parchment, entwining around their wrists with silver and gold chains.

 

Killian's voice was firm: "Those bound to one another by love and magic, man shall never attempt to tear asunder."  The magic flickered but the connection between them was stronger than before, and the silver and gold chains transformed into rings on their fingers.

Some ceremonies like Oliver and Percy’s had actual handfastings, their contract created similar bindings only to have the permanent mark be rings which had been exchanged as physical tokens in Bill and Fleur’s bonding.

 

Killian held out his wand as Percy sealed the scroll. "By the power vested in me by the Ancient House of O'Shanesey and the British Ministry of Magic, I now pronounce you Bondmates. May your love so endure that its flame remains a guiding light unto you. Let us bless the couple."

 

"As it is written, so let it be!" The chorus was taken up along with raised wands that showered the couple with gold and silver sparks.

 

XoooooX

 

There were many congratulations from the newly Bonded couple's friends and family.

 

Coraline's strawberry-blonde hair glinted in the Irish sun; she was pleased to see her future brother Colin so happy.  He was too shy, so Charlie, with Dennis' insistence, had pushed through for this and was it worth it?  Colin's quiet joy made it seem so.

 

Dennis kissed her cheek. "Soon it will be our turn."

 

Coraline smiled. "I know…"

 

XoooooX

 

Everyone was admiring the beautiful gardens at Marcheness and complimenting Seamus' grandmother on them.  A large blanket with toys on it had been set up for Colin's cousins' children to play or nap on.  Dennis and Coraline had agreed to watch them so the parents could mingle.

 

Everyone ignored Molly who had arrived late with Ron in tow, much to everyone's dismay, but did attend the Bonding.  Ginny, of course, was still in the Janus Thickey ward at St. Mungos.  Well, being ignored suited Ron just fine.  To think that Seamus was stuffing that camera-toting crybaby. What was wrong with a nice girl?  What right did that French bitch have to look so happy with Bill?  Or that disgusting black Snake that was curled around Charlie?

 

He'd fix them. He'd found a bunch of spells in a book buried in The Burrow's library.

 

Ron had been working on his wandless magic since those gits at Hogwarts stole his wand.  He moved closer to the two freaks that called themselves his elder brothers' Bondmates, his hands outstretched as he quietly chanted, "Uterus attero. Uterus attero."

 

Fleur was hit with the spell, her eyes widening as her abdomen filled with pain. She shrieked in French and fell to her knees.  Frantic, Bill searched her for an injury.

 

Blaise hadn't seen it coming, not with a vision nor any kind of warning. His womb was tearing itself apart; he could feel it.  Stiffening in pain, he reached for Charlie, his cries in Italian.  Charlie was concerned but couldn't understand him.

 

XoooooX

 

Coraline felt Ron's aura grow colder.  Yelling at Dennis to stay with the babies, she ran.  Something bad was going to happen.  She reached Blaise in time to hear him scream.  She glanced around and saw Ron, his hands outstretched and a cruel smirk on his face.

 

A cold fury hit her. "Stop hurting them!" she screamed, her magic lashing out at him and knocking him off his feet. "This is supposed to be a joyous event. How dare you!"

 

Arthur came running, with Dora waddling behind him.  Narcissa was coming quickly as well, faster than her niece because she wasn't quite as pregnant.

 

Coraline could feel Fleur's and Blaise's pain; it brought her to her knees, sobbing, tears coursing down her cheeks. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…"

 

Blaise was in so much pain, repeating in Italian over and over, "It hurts…" 

 

Narcissa examined her adopted son, gasping, "Oh no…Blaise…"

 

When Arthur arrived, Coraline choked out, "Ron…he attacked them…spell…I wasn't fast enough."

 

Arthur's face was as cold as ice. "Ronald, you are under arrest."

 

"For what?" Ronald sneered. "I did a service. Now the freaks can't bear more freaks."

 

Dora slapped him. "What did you do?"

 

Narcissa's voice was shaking as she answered, "He cast a spell…that ripped Blaise's womb apart."

 

Every woman within earshot was devastated, imagining how they would feel.

 

Narcissa turned to Fleur, asking softly in French if she could examine her too.  Bill, guessing her meaning, agreed because his wife was too distraught to answer.

 

Narcissa's eyes filled with tears. "It is the same."

 

Fleur sobbed harder.

 

Dora cast a spell that trapped Ron's magic, conjured iron manacles and clasped them on his wrists. "I'll take him in." She politely asked to use the floo; she was far too pregnant to chance Apparating.

 

Molly was in shock.  Arthur, her Arthur, was arresting their son? What had he done? Why were her older sons' Bondmates screaming?  She stood watching, bewildered and frightened, as Ron was manacled by a grim-faced Tonks.  Looking over to Arthur, she started to ask him what was going on, but just then a man who looked vaguely familiar to her walked over to her Bondmate and clasped his shoulder.  Arthur smiled at him, the sort of smile he'd never given her.

 

Molly looked away, seeing that Arthur had moved on and it broke something inside her.

 

Narcissa said quietly that she couldn't reverse the spell.  Blaise promptly fainted.  Fleur's sobs quieted but she was still shaking in Bill's arms.

 

XoooooX

 

The joyous atmosphere of Seamus and Colin's Bonding had been tainted with sorrow.  Seamus' relations were surprised to see the young Potter heiress who could have passed as one of them was keening in grief.

 

Seamus refused to believe that this would foretell ill for their life together.  It was Ron, he'd always been cruel. To think that he would hurt someone so grievously at a Bonding was heinous…

 

Harry finally reached his sister; he took her in his arms. "I'm here. Hush now."  Dennis would have gone to her but he had sworn to protect the infants with his life, so even though the risk of danger to them seemed slight, he stayed with them.

 

"The pain…" Coraline whispered. "They feel…damaged…incomplete…ruined…"

 

Charlie and Bill overheard her, without meaning to.  The words circling in their brains, they did their best to soothe their mates.

 

Bill had five children with Fleur: three daughters and two sons, all close in age. That was plenty, but to have her choice or chance to have more stolen away was cruel.

 

Charlie rocked Blaise.  First, he was nearly raped by a housemate, then that March the Manor where they left their children during school hours was attacked, which resulted in the loss of a child. Now they might have no more after Alethea and Taurus.  The anger he felt towards Ron was almost as cold as what he had felt towards Nott. If Blaise could still sire children, then Charlie would be happy to be the bearer, but for now, he was content with Athena, Perseus, Alethea and Taurus.

 

XoooooX

 

Molly still couldn't move, unable to decide whether to go to Ron or her grieving sons Bill and Charlie.

 

Arthur blamed Molly for bringing Ron here and shattering the happiness of her nephew's Bonding. They were over, had been for a long time really.  He felt ashamed that it had taken something this cruel to shake him out of his lethargy.

 

He smiled at Carey and felt something akin to happiness when the man touched his shoulder. Perhaps things truly could always get better. He felt sorrow and guilt for what his son had done to Fleur and Blaise, whom he loved like his own children. To have Carey's eldest's Bonding marred thus was so blatantly cruel…

 

 

 

 

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?


	10. The birthdays of the Hero and the Lion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BAFan has really helped reforge this chapter, I hope you enjoy it.

Title: The Truth Behind the Name and the Lies pt. 6

Pairing: DracoxHarry, OliverxPercy, twincest? Etc.

Fandom: HP

Notes: An abused boy finds out he's a wizard and a hero; his tormented mind rebels. One person sees through the misconceptions to the real Harry and treats him the way he deserves. How does this change them both and those around them?

 

**Chapter Ten- The birthdays of the Hero and the Lion**

 

July 30, 1996

 

On Neville's birthday, Adrian flooed to Longbottom Hall to join Neville and his Gran for breakfast.

 

Neville looked up as the breakfast parlour door opened and one of their house elves announced, "Master Adrian Pucey."  He beamed as Adrian strode across the room to Neville's side of the table, bending to kiss his cheek. "Happy birthday."

 

Neville blushed. "Thanks."

 

Adrian knelt, pulling a small jeweller's box from his pocket. "If your Gran consents, and you wish it, I would like to ask for your hand. I was thinking a Bonding ceremony in February." He opened the ring box; lying on suede black Jarvey skin was the exact copy of the ring Neville's father had presented to his mother.

 

Augusta gasped. "Where did you get that?"

 

Adrian smiled. "I took a quick photo using the charm when we went to visit his parents at Christmas. I took it to a jeweller and ordered a copy."

 

Alice walked in, a bit dreamy.  If it weren't for Coraline Potter and Frank's loving sacrifice, she wouldn't be here.  Augusta had a Mind Healer in constant attendance; she had to be retaught almost everything.

 

Neville threw his arms around Adrian, tears streaming down his cheeks, kissing him excitedly.  "Yes!" burst from his lips before he glanced up and beamed at his mother. "Mum, look! We have matching rings!" He held out his hand to show her.

 

Returning his smile somewhat hesitantly, Alice studied the ring on his finger then glanced at her own.  Her smile widened, though it was tinged with melancholy, and she drew Neville away from Adrian in order to hug him.

 

Adrian turned to Augusta. "You said if he consented you would give me your blessing. Might I have it?"

 

Augusta wiped a tear away. "Yes. You make him happy. He has always been quiet and withdrawn but you seem to bring him out of his shell."

 

Adrian kissed Neville soundly. "Well, canary, are we going to be Puceys, Longbottoms or a mixture?"

 

"Canary" was Adrian’s pet name for Neville. When they properly met during the Triwizard, Neville had just eaten a Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes canary cream and turned into a canary. Adrian had thought he was cute and began a more patient courtship, compared to Harry and Draco's.

 

Augusta sniffed.  "You'll be Longbottom-Puceys, of course. Your firstborn son will be a Pucey, the second-born a Longbottom, and any other male progeny will take the dual name. Girls, of course, are up to you which name they bear."

 

Adrian nodded.  "As you wish.  Well, Neville, it seems that you'll be attending Harry's birthday party as my official betrothed. I suppose we'll have to have the announcement printed soon. Our families' solicitors will have to meet to arrange things, such as vaults and properties that will belong to us jointly. As well as if anything should be put aside for heirs."

 

Augusta stood. "I shall fire-call your father and begin negotiations. I'm sure everything should be finalised in time for a February Bonding."

 

She left Adrian and Neville to tell Alice the big news.

 

XoooooX

 

Harry's birthday

July 31, 1996  

 

Draco had arranged a mostly-family party to celebrate his Bondmate's sixteenth birthday. The house elves were to watch the babies: Carina, Artemis and Tritan Malfoy; Sean Wood; Athena, Perseus, Alethea and Taurus Prewett-Zabini; Aurelian and Lucan Prince; as well as Victoire, Louis, Dominique, Roxanne and Gabriel Weasley. Fred and George's twins, Clarissa and Gawain, were there also.

 

There was music. Draco had asked a prominent Wizarding orchestra to play for them as well as Celestina Warbeck.  It was warm, so he had arranged to have the party on the lawn, setting up a tent between two large trees to create some shade.

 

There was an assortment of edibles from the Abbey, Wisteria Meadows and the Manor's kitchens. Draco had ordered butterbeer and mead from the Three Broomsticks, the popular pub run by Madam Rosmerta, a lovely woman of indeterminate age.

 

Draco had arranged for those who knew the place to floo there, but everyone else had untraceable portkey invitations. No one outside of the family could guess where Launde Abbey lay, much less that it was in Godric's Hollow of all places.

 

Harry had no idea it was being planned.

 

Draco made sure everything was ready before he went to wake Harry.  He sat on their bed, leaning over to kiss him. "Happy birthday, Adder." A shiver went through Draco, reminding him that a year ago they had created their children Artemis and Tritan.

 

Harry woke, his eyelashes fluttering, giving short peeks at his emerald eyes. "Morning?"

 

Draco kissed him softly.  "Come on. Get dressed, love."

 

Harry yawned and stretched. He listened for the twins but heard only silence.  He bolted upright, a wave of panic hitting him.

 

Draco smiled. "I already fed them; Dobby and Dippy are looking after them. I've ordered breakfast be served on the lawn. It's nice out."

 

Harry hurried to pull on a cool, short-sleeved linen shirt and a pair of short trousers paired with sandals.  Draco was wearing a similar outfit in different colours.  Harry slipped his hand into Draco's and let his dragon lead him out onto the lawn.

 

Draco led him towards the tent, which was hidden behind a glamour.  Turning Harry so that he was facing away from it, he pointed up at a bird as he removed the glamour, at the same time flashing the guests a signal that it was gone. "Surprise!"

 

"Happy Birthday, Harry!"

 

Harry spun around to find a tent full of his favourite people; he leapt on Draco, kissing him. "You minx!"

 

"Snake," Draco corrected, winking.

 

There were mountains of gifts that were soon opened. Then two-dozen small round tables appeared which were soon filled with people eating and drinking.

 

It was less than an hour later that the guests began to experience some strange effects.  First, it was a rise in body temperature, which had them fanning themselves with their hands or serviettes and then when that proved insufficient to cool them down, removing their robes and other articles of clothing.  Soon after, pheromones were given off in great abundance.

 

Finally, it was like an orgy erupted, and it became obvious that everyone thirteen and up who drank any of the mead and butterbeer ordered from the Three Broomsticks were all affected by a lust potion.  The saddest thing was that it would be the first time Coraline and Dennis, and Adrian and Neville, as well as Hermione and Viktor would be intimate.  Seamus and Colin were lucky; they had just returned from their honeymoon so they had already experienced their first time, but the other six had all been virgins.  The only thing that could possibly be called a positive was that no partner swapping was involved.

 

The Prewett house elves, Jocy, Audy and Winky, were not surprised when Arthur and Carey began rutting on the lawn.  Thank Merlin the children were being kept away from the party.  An orgy was not something their parents would approve of them being exposed to.

 

XoooooX

 

August 1, 1996 - Hermione gets pregnant

 

Despite their mutual agreement to wait until she was older and they were Bonded, the lust potion took all their inhibitions away.  They were going on their fourth round when life sparked inside Hermione and a rush of contentment flooded her.

 

She would always look back at this evening with a flurry of mixed emotions, chief among them regret,  for she would remember only bits and pieces of what should have been a most precious memory.  She wasn't quite seventeen yet, though she was a graduate of Hogwarts with two handfuls of N.E.W.T.S.  There was anger, of course, overwhelming and intense, at whoever had maliciously spiked their beverages with a lust potion.  But she also felt angry at herself: angry and guilty, for not noticing earlier that something was amiss.  Mortification was in there too.  Oh, logically, she knew it was exceedingly unlikely that anything would have alerted her to the danger in time, for the very nature of lust potions was that they acted so quickly that the effects were all but impossible to ameliorate.  Still, she was supposed to be the brightest witch of her age.  How could she not have suspected that _something_ was off?     

 

Viktor wouldn't remember much either, which would sadden him, for he had wanted everything to be perfect for their first time together.  It may have seemed a bit ridiculous that Viktor hadn’t any experience prior to meeting Hermione, but he had devoted himself to his studies and Quidditch so he had little time to spare for relationships much less sexual experimentation. Only Hermione could draw his attention from either, and after they met Viktor was willing to build a strong bond between them _before_ deepening it with sexual intimacy.

 

They had such an instantaneous connection that they found no subject impossible to discuss frankly once they bypassed the language barrier and their mutual shyness. This included their stances on sex.  While Hermione wasn’t necessarily religious, she had been raised Catholic, so she had mentioned that she preferred to be married, or rather Bonded, before considering sex. Since Viktor respected her, he had been more than willing to wait even if Hermione was just under two and a half years younger than himself and she could need more time before she was ready to begin making arrangements for their bonding. Sex hadn’t been a priority before, and after graduation, his Quidditch responsibilities to both the Vrasta Vultures and the Bulgarian National Team increased. Last year he made sure that he could spend at least one hour with Hermione during Hogsmeade weekends and they wrote or floo-called constantly.

 

They were both the type to plan a momentous occasion such as their first time, or as Hermione put it "their wedding night," almost to the last detail. This unexpected event would destroy those plans.

 

 

 

 

 

  
 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?


	11. Changes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you BAFan! How she finds the time on vacation to Beta this story I don't know but I am ever so grateful!

Title: The Truth Behind the Name and the Lies pt. 6

Pairing: DracoxHarry, OliverxPercy, twincest? Etc. 

Fandom: HP

Notes: An abused boy finds out he's a wizard and a hero; his tormented mind rebels. One person sees through the misconceptions to the real Harry and treats him the way he deserves. How does this change them both and those around them?

For kittenishone who begged me for an update, I'm sure this wasn't quite what you had in mind but it's what's happened next.

 

 

**Chapter 11- Changes**

 

August 10, 1996

 

Remus was reading the _Daily Prophet_ at the breakfast table in Wisteria Lanes when suddenly he yelped in surprise. "What!  Emmeline?  Emmeline Vance is dead?"

 

Severus dropped his fork. _"What!"_ He grabbed the newspaper so forcefully he tore it, glaring at the article. He remembered her from school; he was sure she had been a Ravenclaw as well as a member of the Order of the Phoenix.

 

_This reporter is sad to announce that Auror Emmeline Vance is dead. Her body was discovered by fellow Aurors last night. Apparently, Auror Vance died trying to save Muggles from Death Eaters. Despite rumours that many Death Eaters were killed or captured last month at the Ministry, it seems that there are a few still at large._

 

In a small article, well-hidden, was mention of a discovery of a body believed to be that of Igor Karkaroff. He had been dead some months and apparently died after being tortured.

 

**_Body discovered in the Orkney Islands_ **

_A body has been discovered in a shack in a_ _primarily Muggle settlement in the Orkney Islands. A tip was given to the Aurors, who investigated. The body is reported to be that of former Durmstrang Headmaster Igor Karkaroff, who disappeared following the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament last year. The body showed signs of torture; Karkaroff is believed to have been killed by the Death Curse. No suspects have been reported._

 

"So, the punishment of his followers who abandoned him rather than return to his side has begun." He had better warn Lucius to be careful.

                                                                                      

Remus hugged Severus. "I'll die before I let him harm you or our sons."

 

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Severus said quietly.  After nearly two years with Remus, he would hate to put their future on the line by putting his Bondmate in a position where he would have to fight with Death Eaters.

 

Severus had been overseeing the removal of McGonagall's things from the Headmistress' Tower back to her former rooms near Gryffindor Tower. The announcement of her resignation was also in this issue of the _Daily Prophet_.  Severus had been forced to learn to commune with Hogwarts itself to convince it to enlarge the Headmaster's quarters to accommodate his and Remus' things, including his lab and private potions supply cupboard. He'd written to Horace Slughorn requesting him to take over as Head of Slytherin and resident Potions Master. Hogwarts was the safest place for the old man, his former professor and Head of House. If Slughorn refused, he'd try to convince Andromeda to take over.  While not quite at his level, he knew from her covering of his classes while he was too far along in his pregnancy to brew, that she was a more than adequate instructor.  Being the former acknowledged "Queen of Slytherin," she would no doubt make an excellent Head of House.  As a student, Draco would have done well under her teaching again, but he was an early graduate as were Fred, George, Blaise, Hermione and Harry.  They were all far too young to instruct their peers.

The research into the Horcruxes and how to destroy them wasn't going so well. The only known way to destroy a Horcrux was with Basilisk venom. Severus had managed, due to both his own genius and painstaking labour, to create the only known antidote to Basilisk venom; it incorporated Phoenix tears that were generously donated by Benia, Draco's Phoenix familiar.

 

XoooooX

 

August 15, 1996

 

Draco opened the Daily Prophet and whistled before reading aloud: "'McGonagall resigns, Severus Prince appointed Headmaster.'"

 

Harry looked up from feeding Artemis. "Really?"

 

 _"'Acting on her Healer's recommendation that she reduce stress following a heart attack this past June, Minerva McGonagall has resigned as Headmistress of Hogwarts, effective yesterday. She has also written to the Board of Governors requesting to be reinstated as Hogwarts' Transfiguration Professor, although not as Head of Gryffindor House, a position she held for many years before becoming  Headmistress._   _Professor McGonagall also acted as Deputy Headmistress under Albus Dumbledore until she was appointed as Headmistress pro-tem_ _following a vote of no-confidence in Dumbledore by three of Hogwarts’ Houses and Dumbledore’s suspension by the Board of Governors following the revelation of an Auror investigation into allegations of misconduct. The position became permanent after Dumbledore was tried in absentia based on very damning evidence and Hogwarts has seemingly thrived under her leadership._

_"'An excerpt from her announcement:_

_"'For health reasons and under the advice of my Healer, I regretfully announce that I must resign as Headmistress of Hogwarts.  Since Professor Sirius Black had to leave mid-term, I was teaching his Transfiguration classes as well as seeing to my own duties as Headmistress.  That position is still vacant and I should like to retake my former post. It is my belief that Severus Prince, Deputy Headmaster, Head of Slytherin and resident Potions Master, is more than qualified to be Headmaster.  Research has always been his favourite pastime and as Headmaster he would have more time for it.  Professor Remus Lupin-Prince has been performing the duties of Head of Gryffindor House admirably and I have no need to resume that office. I recommend that either he or Filius Flitwick, Hogwarts Charms Master, be appointed Deputy Headmaster._

****

_"'Sincerely, Minerva McGonagall_

_Headmistress, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_March 1992- August 1996'"_

 

Harry beamed. "I knew he'd be Headmaster!"

 

Draco laughed. "Now that we're not there he can't be accused of favouritism."

 

Harry snorted. "As if Professor Snape, the infamous Dungeon Bat, would be capable of such a thing."

 

Draco was laughing hysterically. "Dungeon Bat? That is so rich!"

 

Harry kissed him. "I'm glad we don't have school anymore. We get to be normal for a bit."

 

Draco's heart twisted.  Normal? They would never be normal but they could still be happy in their own way. They had two beautiful babies and each other, as well as a large extended family that just kept growing.

 

XoooooX

 

August 19, 1996 - Hermione faints

 

Hermione yawned, taking sips of coffee as she pored over books on curses.

 

Blaise walked into the Manor library. "Hey, 'Mione. What are you researching?"

 

Hermione yawned. "Curses."

 

"Still can't figure out how to undo the Phoenix curse?"

 

Hermione shook her head, rubbing her eyes.  "No."

 

"You look exhausted," Blaise said, with more truth than tact, as he examined her face.

 

Hermione winced. "Thanks."  She'd been having terribly erotic dreams since waking up after Harry's birthday party naked with Viktor.

 

"Have you been sleeping at all?"

 

Hermione sighed, "I'm in bed with my eyes closed. Though I very much doubt you could call it restful sleep."

 

Blaise took a seat behind her. "Is everything all right?  Have you talked to Viktor?"

 

Hermione blushed.  "We…write…"

 

Blaise groaned.  "Have you talked about it?"  There was no need to explain what he was referring to; Hermione would know.

 

Hermione hid her face in her hands. "How?  We wanted to wait.  Then we wake up on the Abbey's lawn surrounded by naked couples?  Merlin, he…"

 

. . . had still been inside her.  She'd shoved him off, hastily repaired her clothes, got dressed and ran. Immediately.  Almost diving into the floo and returning to the Manor to run up to her room there. She'd scrubbed her skin raw before crumpling to the floor of the shower, sobbing. Her thighs had been sprinkled with blood and semen. Her lips had been bruised and she'd been covered in love bites. There had been a humongous hickey on her right breast and her nether bits were so raw and swollen that they took several days to stop hurting.  She couldn't sit for very long without discomfort and peeing was a special torture for at least twenty-four hours.

 

Blaise sighed. "Oh, 'Mione. Do you really regret it or do you regret that you don't remember it?" 

 

A sob escaped her lips. "I want to!  I wanted to wait until I was seventeen. He was going to propose officially. We were going to be Bonded. We'd go on a lovely honeymoon somewhere warm, like Italy. And then…and then…"

 

 

Hermione rocked. "It's not fair…"

 

Blaise kissed her temple. "'Mione, did you ask Mother to examine you to make sure you weren't hurt?" Afterwards, they'd all been examined by Andromeda or Narcissa, to find they showed traces of a lust potion.Of course, he'd still been dazed and shocked at what had occurred, as they all were, but he couldn't recall seeing Hermione there. Blaise was using ‘hurt’ as a euphemism to convince her to allow an exam.

 

Hermione choked on a sob. "He wouldn't… Viktor wouldn't…"

 

Blaise sighed. "I know he wouldn't if he were in his right mind, but he wasn't.  You should have seen him afterwards. He looked so ill like he would be sick, all the while muttering apologies in Russian and Bulgarian."

 

Hermione cried harder. "Oh, Viktor!  I'm sorry…"

 

Blaise lifted her chin. "You're a woman.” Making it far easier and more likely that she would conceive. Most wizards, with Harry and Draco being an exception, required a potion to conceive and even then, it might not work every time. “Just to be sure, will you let Mother look at you?"

 

Hermione's face lost colour.  "You don't think...  Mother would kill me!"

 

Blaise mentally grimaced.  He should have known Hermione would pick up on his unspoken worry; she wasn't called the brightest witch of her age for nothing. "It wouldn't be your fault!  I'm sure Muggles have something like lust potions where all inhibitions get thrown aside."

 

"Date…rape…drugs…" Hermione gasped; she seemed to be in a panic.

 

Blaise nodded. "Tell your parents all of us were dosed at Harry's party with the magic equivalent, along with aphrodisiacs.  I'm sure they'll understand."

 

He called for a house elf.  Stria appeared. "Master Blaise?"

 

Blaise gave her a wan smile. "Can you ask Mother to come here at her earliest convenience?" The elf nodded and left, while Blaise tried to calm his friend down.

 

It was nearly fifteen minutes before Narcissa joined them.  "What's the matter, loves?"

 

Blaise said quietly, "Can you make sure Hermione's all right?  She hasn't been sleeping well since Harry's birthday party."

 

Narcissa whipped out her wand, tutting.  "Who could blame her? What a nasty trick, putting lust potion in the drinks. Poor Neville and Coraline were sobbing most pitifully; I had to sedate them.  Adrian looked like he'd faint when Augusta showed up to find out why her grandson hadn't made it home. He was apologising and begging for forgiveness.  Proof that we'd all been dosed was the only thing that made her forgive him.  I had to give both Adrian and Dennis a Calming Draught.  Poor Dennis was beside himself; he thought he'd hurt Coraline. They're too young.  Lust potions are dangerous when used on children. I'd like to give that monster a piece of my mind!"

 

She waved the wand slowly over Hermione's body.  A minute later, her jaw dropped and she was quietly apologetic. "Dear heart, I'm so sorry…"

 

Damn.  Why couldn't his hunch be wrong just this once? Blaise thought sadly. "I thought so. I just wanted to be sure."

 

Hermione sniffed. "Sure of what?"

 

Narcissa took her hand. "Hermione dear, you're almost three weeks pregnant. I used a highly sensitive spell to be sure."

 

Hermione's eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed in Blaise's arms.  Blaise sighed. "I was expecting that."

 

Narcissa shook her head, sighing. "I'll put her to bed.  Blaise - "

 

Before she could finish, Blaise nodded. "I'll firecall Viktor. He'll have to be told.  Hermione won't be in any shape to tell him."

 

Narcissa conjured a stretcher and levitated the poor girl onto it, all the while mentally berating herself. She'd given Coraline an oral contraceptive potion immediately after examining her, just to be sure.  Considering how fertile her brother and mother were, Narcissa had refused to take chances on the fourteen-year-old girl.  Remus had sworn that Harry had been conceived on James and Lily's wedding night but he was likely only repeating James’ suspicions. Oh, why hadn't she thought to give Hermione the same?  As a healer and Hermione’s presumed magical guardian, Narcissa felt that she had failed Hermione. She'd known at the time that Hermione was at the party; she should have searched her out to make sure she was all right, or at least checked with Andromeda that she had seen to the girl. If she had given Hermione the same contraceptive potion that she had insisted Coraline take, then Hermione wouldn’t be pregnant.

 

XoooooX

 

Blaise went to the nearest floo that wasn't in the library; he went to Narcissa's music room. Why? It was a calming place. He tossed in the powder and called out the address, then stuck his head in the floo, calling out in Russian, "Is anyone there?"

 

A sound of hurrying feet was heard.  "Yes?  Who is it?" was the reply in Russian. A moment later a man appeared through a doorway.  He stopped several feet away from the floo, his hand loosely holding a wand.  It was pointed at the floor but Blaise had no doubt that it could be aimed at him in a split-second if it were deemed necessary. 

 

Blaise asked quickly, "Is Viktor there?"

 

"He is in his room. Won't come out."

 

Blaise sighed. "Did he tell you what happened?"

 

"No. Was it very bad?"

 

Blaise nodded grimly. "The worst, some might say. Someone put lust potion in the drinks at Harry's birthday party. It seemed to affect everyone over the age of thirteen."

 

The man took a deep breath. "So they…"

 

"Had sex? Yes. I need to speak to Viktor. Might I come through?"

 

"Yes."

 

Blaise grabbed more floo powder, tossed it in and entered the floo.

 

He was greeted with kisses on both cheeks.  "You are Blaise?"

 

Blaise nodded. "And you are?"

 

"Viktor's bearer, Nebojsa Krum."

 

"I wish I could pause to chat," Blaise apologised, "but it is very important I speak to Viktor."

 

The man bowed. "Of course. I'll show you to his rooms."

 

Blaise let himself be escorted. They paused in front of an oak door.  Nebojsa gestured at it. "You're welcome to try but I can't get him even to answer, much less come out of the room."

 

Blaise beat on the door with his fist, shouting, "Viktor?  Open this door.  Now!  We've got to talk.  It's about your angel."

 

The door was ripped open, revealing a distraught Victor Krum.  "What's wrong?  Is she hurt?" The man looked absolutely wrecked: unshaven, hair a mess, clothing dishevelled.  Blaise was certain he hadn't been sleeping well either, just like Hermione.

 

"No," Blaise sighed, "but she's hurting. We need to talk. In private."

 

Viktor moved aside. "Come in."

 

Blaise heard the door shut behind him.

 

The room was a mess; everything in it had been destroyed.   Blaise muttered a spell and it was all put to rights. He took a seat at Viktor's desk. "You're both acting shamefully, hiding instead of talking about this. Yes, something awful happened, but you and Hermione love each other too much to let this incident separate you. Viktor, she'll be angry with me but I must tell you: she's pregnant.  Obviously, it must have happened during the effects of the lust potion. She just found out today, but she didn't know how to deal with the news and fainted. She's also not been sleeping well."

                                                            

Viktor stared at him and then whispered, "Pregnant?  Bludgers and Snidgets!  What do I tell our parents?"

 

Blaise glared at him. "Be a man about it. It's your child. She's your lover now. You know you'll Bond to her. Yes, it's not exactly as neat as you planned but it's got to be done, the sooner the better. I would Bond quickly, like at her birthday next month. Take time off from your teams. Go on a long honeymoon. Come back, set up your house. Let everyone think you waited until her seventeenth birthday. None of our children were born when they were expected - just look at Uncle Severus and Harry. Everyone will think the baby is early. You've been courting over a year and a half, you have no need of a long engagement."

 

"What about…"

 

"You can tell your parents the truth or not. It's up to you. I'll only tell Charlie because I keep no secrets from him. Mother might tell Father, but I don't know and it's naught to do with me," Blaise said sharply. "Now get up.  Bathe.  Where is the ring you've obviously bought already?"

 

Viktor non-verbally summoned a small ring box.

 

"See? All you have to do is propose. I'd tell you to elope but Mother would be furious, so you'll have to be Bonded properly. It will be up to you and Hermione what that will entail."

 

"Parents first?" the Bulgarian Seeker stammered.

 

Blaise shrugged. "Whatever you feel is right."  Spinning on his heel, he left Viktor alone to make his own choice. He liked Viktor, Hermione was like a sister, and they had both deserved better than to receive this turn of fate.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?


	12. Of babies, proposals and bridal parties

Title: The Truth Behind the Name and the Lies pt. 6

Pairing: DracoxHarry, OliverxPercy, twincest? Ect.

Fandom: HP

Notes: An abused boy finds out he's a wizard and a hero; his tormented mind rebels. One person sees through the misconceptions to the real Harry and treats him the way he deserves. How does this change them both and those around them?

  
 

Chapter 12- Of Babies, Proposals and Bridal Parties

 

August 19, 1996 - Viktor tells his fathers

 

Viktor sighed; Blaise had left almost as suddenly as he arrived. He went to bathe and dress. Otec would be home in a few hours and this conversation would be best discussed after dinner over a drink.  Or several drinks.

 

XoooooX

 

When they had finished partaking of their dessert, the three Krums retired to the nearby parlour.  Damitar summoned his pipe and lit it with his wand before sitting back. "Ah, it is nice to be home and relaxing. It was a pleasure to have you at supper, my son."

 

A house elf set a tumbler of firewhiskey beside their dominant hands and then disappeared.

 

Viktor swallowed, gathered his courage. "Papa, Otec. I wish to apologize."

 

"For locking yourself in your room and acting like a child?" Damitar asked, mildly enough considering the censuring look in his eyes.

 

Viktor winced. "I see how my behaviour would appear to be that way. My rooms did bear a shocking resemblance to one time when I threw a dreadful tantrum. I am shamed and humbled."

 

"Viktor, what precipitated this behaviour and what brought you out of it?" Nebojsa asked gently.

 

"Blaise. He came with dire news. As you know, a few weeks ago I attended Harry's birthday party. Things did not go as planned. Someone spiked the drinks with lust potions. Those who were served butterbeer or mead were affected."

 

Nebojsa saw the sorrow in his son's face. "Was your angel there?"

 

Viktor nodded. "We regained consciousness and realized that I'd bedded her. It wasn't in a proper way. It was an orgy, which in my mind is distasteful and demeaning. We were still in an intimate position. She threw me off her, dressed and ran. I have not seen her in person since. We've owled but that is all. Blaise brought me news earlier."

 

 **I** t didn't take a genius to realise what the news must be.  Damitar said shortly, "Your Angel is pregnant. How far along?"

 

Viktor straightened. "Three weeks. I have already purchased an engagement ring. I did so before I asked permission to Court her. I plan to visit her parents in the morning. We had planned to Bond when she was of age, but we were going to hold off on children until she was eighteen, which is a proper age in the Muggle world."

 

Nebojsa nodded. "So it is. You are planning to be Bonded when?"

 

Viktor gave his bearer a weak smile. "On her birthday, one month from today, if the contract can be speeded."

 

Damitar smiled. "It's faster to file with Gringotts. I would do so immediately; I have contacts."

 

Viktor believed him.  Damitar was a partner in a prominent investment firm. He worked hand in hand with Gringotts, rich Wizarding folk and companies. "Thank you, Papa. I will do my best to make this right."

 

"If you were under the influence of a lust potion, what happened is not your fault," Nebojsa said gently.

 

"I am aware of that; however, it is not I who is suffering the most. Hermione needs me to be strong and show her that I am still willing to stand by my promises like a man. I will take her as my Bondmate. We shall go somewhere exotic for a honeymoon. We'll return, announce she is pregnant, and move into our new home. I will hire a Healer to oversee her pregnancy and I will do everything I can to make up for this moving up of our plans."

 

Damitar drank his firewhiskey and called for champagne to celebrate his son truly becoming a man.

 

XoooooX

 

August 20, 1996 - Viktor talks to Hermione's parents

 

Viktor knew where Hermione lived because they owled often; also, he'd visited to asked permission to Court her.  He was very shaken when he Apparated to the Apparation point nearest her home. He made his way to their house and knocked on the door.

 

"Coming!" came a voice from inside.

 

Viktor waited impatiently.

 

The door was opened; standing there was Hermione's mother.

 

Viktor swallowed and bowed. "Madam."

 

"Oh Viktor, it's you. Come in." Stepping out of the way and opening the door wider, Dr. Jean Granger called out, "Mathias, Viktor's here."

 

Viktor entered the house, bolstering his courage. He'd got much better at English, but still had decided to cast a spell that made speaking and comprehension easier, figuring that could only be beneficial in this fraught situation. "Thank you. I am sorry to call so early. I know you will have to go to work soon."

 

"Oh, it's quite all right. How is Hermione? We haven't heard from her since she went to stay with the Malfoys. Her friend Colin was getting married and Harry had a birthday," Jean said as she closed the door behind them.

 

Viktor sighed, "That's what I've come to talk to you about."

 

Jean led the way to the dining room where Hermione's father was eating breakfast. "Is she all right?"

 

Viktor took the chair Jean had indicated, sitting stiffly, his back ramrod straight. "It depends on what one considers all right.  A mutual friend, Blaise Zabini, came to see me yesterday."

 

"In Bulgaria? That's a long way to go. The things you Wizards can do when you set your mind to it." Although Jean spoke mildly, her eyes were steady on Viktor.  "What does this have to do with Hermione?"

 

"Yes…well I suppose I should start at the beginning. We attended Harry's party together at his house. You see… unfortunately, someone put something in the drinks. We call it a lust potion."

 

"What does that mean, son?" Mathias asked sharply.

 

Viktor sighed. "It means that everyone who drank something that was spiked with the potion ended up having sex whether they wanted to or not."

 

"You had sex with my daughter?" Mathias' lips thinned in displeasure, his eyes hard.  Jean drew in a sharp breath but didn't speak.

 

Viktor winced, but met his eyes bravely.  "Yes, though not willingly.  She woke up first, instantly realised what had happened and returned to Malfoy Manor without saying a word to anyone.  I ended up going home soon after she did and we've not talked in person since, although we've exchanged owls.  Yesterday Blaise went to see her and found out she's not been sleeping well at all due to being so upset about the whole situation.  We were planning on waiting until we were Bonded - er, married - before we had sex.  Blaise discovered she'd run off after the party before either Lady Malfoy or Professor Prince, who are both Healers, something like your doctors, could see her and give her a potion so she wouldn't get pregnant.  Blaise persuaded Hermione to call Lady Malfoy to give her an examination.  They discovered that she's three weeks pregnant.  That's what Blaise came to tell me."

 

Jean gasped.  "Oh, my poor baby!  She must be so upset."  Mathias only sighed deeply.

 

"She is," Viktor nodded.  "I know she was adamant about not disappointing the two of you by getting pregnant underage, but we're left with only two choices:  I ask her to have an abortion, which would only hurt her further, something I would hate to do to her, or we get Bonded - married."

 

Jean swallowed, shaking her head at Viktor’s first 'option.'  “We're Catholic. You can't ask her to have an abortion. It's a sin."

 

Mathias spoke up. "So is premarital sex but I think God would make an exception if they were drugged. You were drugged, weren't you, son?"

 

Viktor nodded. "Yes sir. I am dreadfully sorry." He fished out the ring box. "I purchased this the summer after the Tournament. I knew I was going to Bo…marry her and I had your permission to Court her. She isn't seventeen yet, but we could file for papers early.  She isn't going back to Hogwarts since she's already graduated, so we could be married on her birthday. I know it's young in the Muggle world but it's perfectly legal in the Wizarding world."

 

Jean reached for the ring box and opened it.  Her eyes grew wide and her jaw dropped.  Mathias leaned over, both eyebrows rising as he took a look at the contents.

 

"It's a Gregorio Marconi design; he is one of the most prestigious designers of jewellery in our world **.** That's a diamond of the first water, three carats, and those are genuine sapphires on either side. It's platinum because she likes to brew and silver reacts badly with certain potions. I purchased it with the bonding band." Also, though he didn't say this, Viktor knew that Remus Lupin was a werewolf and he didn't want the ring to hurt Lupin if it should accidentally touch his bare skin, however remote that possibility might be. Hermione would be upset if her ring burned him, given how close she was to Harry’s guardians.

 

Jean cast a self-conscious look at her own obviously less-expensive ring. "It's lovely…"

 

Mathias looked as if he wasn't sure if he was upset his own ring was upstaged or if he was pleased that his daughter was going to be gifted such a ring. "Seeing as how she's pregnant and all, I agree that you better marry quickly. I expect she's going to be upset about that."

 

Jean coughed. "Of course she will. Most girls fantasise about their perfect wedding.  Now, Hermione being still seventeen is a bit troublesome. Here is what I suggest: She'll get married your way - Bonded, rather - in September.  When she's eighteen we'll file the paperwork for her to be married our way . Then you will have a church ceremony. We'll explain that you were legally married - you eloped but came back. We told you off sternly. Then we planned her church wedding."

 

"If we have to get married twice, it would be easier if I paid for the first ceremony," Viktor offered.

 

Mathias nodded. "That would be all right. We've saved up for a big wedding anyway. Leave it to Jean to plan a proper wedding her way. You'll have your wizarding ceremony, so it's legal somewhere before the baby's born. Now for Hermione's sake, don't mention ever that she got pregnant before that  ceremony. It's very bad, especially with us being Catholic. People are jealous of her already; saying she got pregnant out of wedlock would make them even more spiteful."

 

Viktor got up and bowed. "Thank you, sir, for being so understanding. I am so sorry that this happened. We really wanted to wait."

 

"You have to leave so soon?" Jean asked.

 

Viktor smiled. "You can't have a Bonding if you don't propose to the girl, correct?"

 

Mathias stood and held out his hand.

 

Viktor shook it firmly.

 

"My daughter's a lucky woman. You tell her that from me. Now you get your derriere over to Wiltshire and talk to Hermione," Mathias said sharply.

 

"Yes, sir."

 

Jean showed him to the door. "You give her a kiss for me and tell her I'm happy for her. If she's half as smart as I think she is, she'll say yes right away."

 

Viktor waved and made his way back to the Apparation point.

 

XoooooX

 

Viktor Apparated to Malfoy Manor, with the door opening as he neared it.  Waiting was a house elf.  "How can Stria be helping Master Viktor?"

 

"I would like to request an audience with Lady Malfoy and her charge, Miss Granger," Viktor replied as he ascended the stairs leading to the front door.

 

Stria nodded.  Another house elf appeared at his side. "Dippy, escort Master Viktor to the front parlour."

 

"Dippy be doing so. If Master Viktor be following Dippy."

 

Viktor followed the house elf into the Manor's entry corridor and then to the front parlour.

 

It didn't take long for Narcissa to join him.  "Viktor! Lovely to see you, though it is quite early for a morning call, young man."

 

Viktor rose at her entrance, taking her hand and kissing it in the English fashion before politely kissing her cheeks. He escorted her to a chair. "I come on urgent business."

 

Narcissa frowned. "Sweet Merlin. Blaise said he'd firecall you."

 

Viktor shook his head. "He did more than firecall me. He flooed over and set me straight. Exactly how old is he?"

 

Narcissa laughed. "He was hatched out of season and was born on December 17th, 1979. He'll be turning seventeen. That poor boy, he's been through so much. He was practically orphaned before he hatched. I raised him as my own. He's the proud bearer of five younglings and has a very attentive mate, for a Weasley."

 

Viktor was a bit confused, after all the Weasleys he knew were devoted to their bondmates. Was this in reference to the estrangement between their parents? Despite his confusion, he replied, "I heard he was injured. I hope that was a false rumour."

 

Narcissa's eyes darkened with sorrow. "As a Veela, he's an hermaphrodite.  He was hit with a curse and his womb was ripped from him and destroyed, as was his sister-in-law Fleur's."

 

Viktor blinked. "Fleur?  As in my fellow Triwizard Champion?"

 

"The very same. They ended up Bonding to brothers, as you might remember."

 

"My apologies; I did attend her Bonding. I hope they recover and their attacker is punished most severely," Viktor said politely. He wasn't indifferent to the horror and suffering Blaise and Fleur must be enduring, but truthfully his focus was on his own situation right now.

 

Hermione walked into the room, her eyes red with weeping and her face pale. The dark circles under her eyes were testament to her ill rest as of late.

 

"Ahren!" Viktor stood, reaching for her hand to kiss it.

 

Hermione flinched.

 

"Now, Hermione dear, there is no need for that. Viktor wouldn't hurt a hair on your pretty head. I've taught you better than that," Narcissa reproved gently.

 

Blushing slightly at the reprimand, Hermione curtsied. "Good morning, Viktor. How nice of you to come for a visit." She then proceeded to hold out her hand.

 

Viktor brought it to his lips before placing it on his arm and escorted her to the settee across from Narcissa. "Now, my dear, Narcissa is right, I won't hurt you. Blaise was kind enough to pass along how you were. I am sincerely sorry that you find yourself in this condition. However since it was out of our control, we shall just have to make the best of things. Our child may not have been conceived while under a legal bonding contract between us; however, I intend for it to be born within one. We shall, with your permission - "

 

Narcissa held her hand up, interrupting him. "Viktor, you are forgetting something quite essential."

 

Viktor raised an eyebrow. "What might that be?"

 

Narcissa huffed. "You men, you take all the fun out of life sometimes. You can't just dictate to her. You take that ring box out of your pocket and do it properly. Sweet Merlin and Devious Morganna, do I have to decide everything?"

 

Properly and sincerely chastised, Viktor knelt before Hermione, retrieving the box. "I kneel, reprimanded. My apologies, dear one. I would have liked to do this properly and with more ceremony; however, due to outside influences I can only ask you if you would do me the honour of becoming my Bonded. Our child, though unexpected, deserves to be born to two parents who love one another and are properly Bonded. It would be cruel and unseemly of me to allow them to be born outside of a Bonding contract."

 

Hermione burst into tears, throwing herself at Viktor and kissing him soundly. "Of course I'll be your Bonded! When?"

 

Viktor kissed her back for a moment before breaking the kiss and joining her on the settee after sliding the ring on her finger. "Now that that is quite settled, I was hoping that we might Bond on your birthday, seeing how you will be turning seventeen."

 

Narcissa clapped her hands. "Oh, please let me plan the Bonding? I have lots of practice now."

 

So she did, having helped with Dora, Blaise and Draco's.

 

Hermione blushed. "Well, I don't know that much about bonding rituals, so, yes, I would be grateful for your assistance.  Thank you."

 

Narcissa chuckled. "Every witch is expected to begin studying them once she turns fourteen; an oversight on my part for which I apologize. Viktor darling, what is the name of your aunt?"

 

"Bisera," Hermione replied quickly.

 

"Viktor, be a dear and floo her for me. We have so much to plan and so little time."

 

Viktor stood and bowed. "As you wish, my lady."

 

"Viktor, you flatterer. Run along now."

 

Viktor left the parlour quickly.

 

XoooooX

 

"Now, Hermione, a Bonding is your brainchild. You plan it.  Now you can choose to have an entirely British bonding or you can incorporate traditions from Viktor's family or region."

 

"I'd like for it to be beautiful but eclectic," Hermione replied shyly as she slid the beautiful diamond and sapphire ring around on the ring finger of her left hand.

 

"Is that a Gregorio Marconi? My dear, I see you rate highly. Gregorio is among the best and I can tell that your Viktor put a lot of thought and care into designing this ring.I only received a Malfoy heirloom; then again, in the beginning you wouldn't say we were in love. We were quite lucky that we did fall in love. Now let's see. Muggleborn you may be, child, but I think it would increase your status to be Bonded right here on our lawn. Forget a tent, we'll arrange for a Royal Pavilion. We have a beautifully appointed gazebo I think would be just darling in which to sign the contracts. We'll need a large open space to cast circle." 

 

Narcissa clapped her hands. "Your Bonding will be the most talked-about event of the year. Annie and I will just have take you shopping. With her returned status, sweet Merlin, this will be _the_ event. We'll go shopping in Paris. I do hope Lucius gives me his Platinum Gringotts card.  I've been your Wizarding guardian this long and I haven't taken you to Celestine's. Where are my manners?"

 

Hermione's jaw dropped; she'd never seen Narcissa Malfoy look quite this excited. "Celestine's?" she asked softly.

 

"It's _the_ place for the well-dressed witch. No arguing; you must let me buy your trousseau as a Bonding present. No, I have it:  We must have a bridal party! We'll invite Fleur; we mustn't forget Gabrielle or Apolline. Dora must come. So should Annie. Poor Charity as well; I know she's emotionally under the weather what with Sirius' murder and all, but she'll have to go about normally soon. Minister Bones thinks highly of you, we'll send her an invitation too. She might not be able to attend but she can send Susan in her stead. Oh yes, we should invite those lovely girls who came to Draco's party and talked to Gwenog."

 

"Angelina, Alicia and Katie?"

 

Narcissa nodded. "We mustn't forget Coraline. We'll invite Augusta too. It's about time the Malfoy and the Longbottoms started to get along. Then there is Adrian's mother. We'll have plenty of ladies."

 

Hermione toyed with her ring again, a bit overwhelmed. Who wouldn't be? She was three weeks pregnant and engaged for half an hour.  Thank Merlin she was already graduated; that was one stress off her shoulders.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?


	13. The Houses of Weasley and Prewett Vs. Ronald

Title: The Truth Behind the Name and the Lies pt. 6

Pairing: DracoxHarry, OliverxPercy, twincest? Ect.

Fandom: HP

Notes: An abused boy finds out he's a wizard and a hero; his tormented mind rebels. One person sees through the misconceptions to the real Harry and treats him the way he deserves. How does this change them both and those around them?

 

 

Chapter 13 - The Houses of Weasley and Prewett vs. Ronald

 

August 20, 1996

Ron before the Council of Magical Law

 

Minister for Magic Amelia Bones had chosen to sit out the case of the Houses of Weasley and Prewett Vs. Ronald to avoid accusations of partiality, given that she had promoted his sire to Head Auror and one of his elder brothers to head of a department. The Council were meeting in Courtroom Ten to avoid as much of the publicity as possible.  Augusta Longbottom had been chosen to preside over the trial.

 

"My Lords and Ladies, please rise. The Council of Magical Law is now in session, the Honourable Lady Augusta Longbottom presiding!" the court scribe announced.

 

Augusta Longbottom took her seat, giving a regal nod to the scribe. "Thank you.  Let the prisoner take his place."

 

As the Council members resumed their seats, a manacled Ronald was led in and pushed down onto the chair in the middle of the room, whereupon more chains promptly wrapped around his arms and legs.  "The case is the Houses of Weasley and Prewett vs. Ronald, formerly of the House of Weasley, currently of no known House."

 

Augusta fixed Ronald with a stern look. "My my, you seem to enjoy getting in trouble, young man.  I've read your file: before the actions being addressed today, there was an attempted assault of a female student, insulting a Head Boy and disparaging the qualifications of a Prefect. Abuse of an owl, causing injury which luckily didn't result in permanent damage.  You have been expelled from Hogwarts and disowned by the House of Weasley. Lord Prewett, did you accept Ronald into your House?"

 

Charlie stood up, looking grim. "No, Madam Longbottom, I did not. My parents are legally separated. Had my father divorced my mother, they would have returned to the authority of my House. At present Ronald is of no House."

Bill also had a forbidding expression on his face, knowing that by "they" Charlie meant Molly, who was born a Prewett; Ron, who was her son and no longer considered a Weasley, having been cast out by their grandfather for his numerous embarrassments to the family; as well as Ginny, who was suspended for her attempt to use highly regulated potions on Harry and then removed from school to the Janus Thickey ward of St. Mungo's due to her current health situation. He knew that Charlie had no more interest in being legally or financially responsible for their mother or youngest siblings than he or Septimus did. Bill suspected that Charlie would prefer to refuse to number their mother, Ron, or Ginny among the Prewetts. It was Charlie's choice whether or not to accept them, and as long as their mother was legally married to their father, Charlie was not required to make a decision legally as to whether or not Ron could claim the surname Prewett.

 

"Like I'd want to be related to you!" Ron growled, shaking his chains. "You're Bonded to that disgusting Slytherin. What kind of a person would be interested in someone like that? He lays eggs!  It's unnatural."

 

"Silence!" barked Augusta. "You will not speak out of line in this courtroom. You will speak when spoken to and then only to answer questions. Now, my Lords, what charges are you filing?"

 

Bill replied as the elder of the two Lords, despite the fact that Charlie had held his title longer. "Assault of the magical kind. Use of illegal spells and line theft."

 

Despite their grandfather, Septimus, being alive, Bill had been passed the title with little ceremony after his Bonding and was slowly gaining more authority as he became more familiar with his duties as the Head of the House of Weasley.

 

Augusta frowned at Ron. "Line theft? That is a serious charge."  She leaned over. "Do you know what that means, Ronald?"

 

Ronald sneered, "It means I ripped their wombs out and incinerated them."

 

Several persons in the gallery sucked in horrified breaths at hearing this. While Augusta had been assigned as the sole Council member to adjudicate this trial, it was not unheard of for others to sit in.

Even Augusta had to take a calming breath before saying to Ronald, "You plead guilty, then?"

 

Ron snorted contemptuously. "I knew what I was doing. I was going to punish them for daring to join their blood and magic to ours."

 

Lady Longbottom shook her head.  "What right did you have to make that decision? You weren't even a member of the family anymore.  Approval of a Bondmate is in the hands of the Head of one’s family or house. That power has never been yours; it was up to their grandfather, Septimus Weasley. He accepted them and raised Bill’s bondmate whom you despise to the title of Lady Weasley.  Clearly, he approved of this match."

 

Ron glared at her. "Potter's had it out for me from the beginning. Refusing to be my friend, worming his way into my family and playing with Ginny's heart. Someone had to teach that boy a lesson. He sullied himself by being with a Slytherin and then dragged my brothers in with him. Who raped George? I don't see anyone trying to get justice for him. They just brush it off. Was it a Durmstranger? A pompous git from Beauxbatons or another filthy Snake? Your precious little saviour was an underage mother. Surely that was reason enough to remove him from that dungeon bat."

Charlie remembered that the phrase ‘dungeon bat’ was usually referring to Professor Snape but it had eventually fallen out of use by the time Harry and his own Blaise were Second Years. He wasn’t even sure that Fred and George had used the term… so where had Ron learned it?  So what if Harry had conceived naturally? It wasn’t as if it or George’s pregnancy was relevant to Ron’s trial. Was this what his Muggleborn schoolmates had called "red herrings"?

 

Augusta raised her wand. "Auror Tonks, I believe it was you who arrested Ronald.  Was he seen by a Mind Healer?"

 

Dora, who had been seated quietly to one side, got to her feet and bowed.  She sent the results on Ron's most recent exam by her father first to Lady Longbottom, and then copies of the same to the other present members of the Council because the assigned member of the council to prosecute hadn’t been decided until last minute. "Here are the results of Mind Healer Ted Tonks' examinations of Ronald, as well as the Healer reports on his victims."

                        

Augusta and the Council members quietly absorbed the material.  After several minutes Augusta raised her head, a stony expression on her face. "I see. I find Ronald guilty of all charges. Due to the heinous nature of the charges against him and his lack of remorse, I feel it is in the interests of justice that he be sentenced to the Dementor's Kiss."

 

Molly gave an ear-splitting shriek and then wailed, "No! Not my baby!"

 

Augusta ignored the interruption, turning to face the present members of the Council.  "My Lords and Ladies, do you agree with my judgment?"  A chorus of "Ayes" sounded. 

 

"Are any opposed?"  Silence reigned.  Augusta nodded sharply and faced Ronald again. "Ronald, you have been judged guilty and sentence has been pronounced.  You shall be returned to Azkaban, wherein three days' time you will be Kissed by a Dementor in accordance with Wizarding law."

Bill knew of course that members of Wizengamot were selected to serve on the Council but they are still bound by laws passed by the Wizengamot and are charged with enforcing sentencing according to what they feel is appropriate, since the law merely had minimum and maximum sentencing recommendations. The question posed to the present members of the Council was merely a formality; it was rare that a Council member’s judgment didn’t stand. Only rarely was a crime is deemed serious enough to face the entire Wizengamot but most of the time  a single member of the council was appointed. After all, the Wizengamot has more important business to deal with than most ‘minor crimes’. One could, of course, appeal to a full Council or to the Wizengamot. If Bill remembered his lessons on Muggle law and government, the Council tried cases like Muggle judges. Despite how heinous some of the crimes the Death Eaters were accused of, only Lord Bartemius Crouch himself was assigned for the Death Eater trials. Given that he was Head of Magical Law Enforcement, was that really a proper choice?

 

Ronald was escorted away, back to Azkaban, an ugly sneer fixed on his face.  He gave not a single glance at anyone, not even his distraught mother. 

 

Bill rose.  "Lady Longbottom," he began, "I have here the necessary documents requesting a divorce, from one Arthur Weasley to one Molly Weasley nee Prewett."

 

"Grounds?"

 

"Incompatibility and her failure to prove herself worthy of being a part of this family **.** Since being separated from her husband and her five elder children, Molly has made no attempt to contact any of them even though she has attended their Bondings. We hold that Molly Weasley is culpable for her two youngest children's actions, seeing as how she raised them to be spoilt, narrow-minded and to not take responsibility for their actions."

                                   

"No!  Arthur…" Molly broke into tears.

 

"Don't pretend to care!" Charlie spat at her.  "When Ronald attacked our Bondeds, you never once asked if they were all right. You only cared about Ron being arrested. You have thirteen grandchildren and you've never asked to see one of them. You wouldn't even have pictures if Narcissa hadn't seen fit to copy hers and send them to you. Lady Malfoy is more grandmother to your grandchildren than you are.  I respect Narcissa.  I may have been born to blood traitors but the Malfoys accepted me into their family and allowed me to bond to their ward. Tell me, _mother_ , how you would feel if someone attacked you like Ron did my Blaise? My Bondmate thinks he's been defiled, he wouldn't let me touch him for almost two weeks. I know that having a womb removed is called a hysterectomy but it's not supposed to be done by wandless prats!"

 

Bill placed a calming hand on Charlie's arm and turned to face Augusta.  "We hold Molly Weasley responsible for Ronald's actions. A person expelled from a magic school and whose wand has been snapped is not to use magic. They are not to be taught it. Where in Merlin's name would a sixteen-year-old boy learn a spell that ripped a womb apart? We ask, Lady Longbottom, that Molly Weasley be declared Unbonded to Head Auror Arthur Weasley. We request that she be fined grievously and sentenced to five years of community service at St. Mungos.".

 

"If she is treated thus she falls under your House, Lord Prewett," Augusta warned Charlie.

 

Charlie shook his head vigorously.  "As Lord Prewett, I strip Molly's rights as a Prewett heiress away. I forbid her contact with any person born for her former House, which includes her grandchildren and nephews. She will be banned from all Prewett vaults and her trust vault which came to her upon her Bonding shall be split and granted to Lady Weasley and Consort Prewett."

Lady Weasley was, of course, Bill’s own Fleur while Consort Prewett was Charlie’s beloved Blaise.

 

"Likewise, shall she be banned from Weasley vaults," Bill added.  "I have already informed the goblins. She is turned off without name and without a Knut to call her own. She may choose to sell the land which The Burrow is upon; if so, then she is only allowed to sell it to Charlie because it is registered as a Prewett property."

 

"It is so ordered. Molly Prewett has been struck from the House of Weasley; likewise, has she been banished from the House of Prewett.  Henceforth, by order of the Council of Magical Law it is illegal for her to refer to herself as either Molly Weasley or Molly Prewett. Her name shall be Molly and that is all."

 

To be nameless was the worst possible fate for any pureblood.

 

"Banned from Gringotts? Forbidden to see my family?" Molly gasped, looking disbelievingly from one person to another.

 

Augusta glared at her. "Molly, you have no family. No children. No grandchildren. They have cast you off as you have apparently done to them. You are to have no contact with any of them. St. Mungo's will be informed of this."

 

"In the case of Ginevra Molly Weasley," Charlie put in, "she has been struck from both families. However, the Prewett House will agree to pay for Ginevra's care. At present, she will remain under Molly's guardianship. If she recovers, she shall be known only as Ginevra Molly; she is to be considered as being without father."

 

Molly was stunned.  Without father and without name, Ginny was lower than a Muggleborn; it was the magical equivalent of declaring her a bastard.

 

"If that is all, sentences have been given and declarations made. Good day, my Lords." Augusta looked at Molly with distaste. "Get out of my courtroom. Don't let the wards hit you on the way out."

 

Molly, sobbing, covered her mouth with her hand and ran.

 

The two Lords hugged each other.  Bill and Charlie had always been close but their Bondeds being Veela had brought them closer. Ron’s attack on their beloveds had made it all the clearer that those three were not part of their family and hadn’t been for a while. If Molly and Ron were true family, attacking Fleur and Blaise would have been as offensive to them as it would be to their father, Percy, George and Fred. Attacking any Bonded of their brothers was as unfathomable to Bill and Charlie as it would be to curse their own mates.

 

As far as the two young Lords were concerned, justice had been done.

 

XoooooX

 

Andromeda had come to the Janus Thickey ward to check on her patients, Bellatrix and (because Charlie asked) Ginny. She finished examining Bella, deciding that while Bella was in a coma the baby had stabilised. After talking with Ted, who reminded her that Narcissa and Dora were already pregnant, thus would be poor choices to raise the child, and that they'd always wanted a large family, as the Regent of the Black Family she'd decided that she would take the infant into her custody.

 

She turned to examine Ginny, whom she disliked immensely.  Having never been fond of Molly despite being prefects together, she did, however, enjoy the company of her five eldest sons. In truth, she was jealous:  Molly was so fertile and yet, she didn't seem to want to have anything to do with her family. Andromeda had at many times been disappointed in Dora but she could never be so callous as to not speak to her.

 

While running a general scan, Andromeda noticed that certain hormones were elevated, ones that shouldn't be elevated, especially not in the body of a just barely fifteen-year-old girl. Ginny was pregnant. That should be impossible. The girl was still a virgin; her hymen was intact. Some monster must have cast a man's seed into her womb. The only person cruel enough to do something like this was Dumbledore. If the hymen hadn't been intact, then the baby's sire might have been accused of rape. Ginny was over nine weeks along so just over two months. How did she get pregnant in the Janus Thickey ward?  How did Dumbledore get in?  The wards on the ward were supposed to strip Glamours.  Polyjuice, then? 

 

Would that man just die and leave them all be!

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?


	14. Political moves and proposed adoptions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't been quite as attentive to detail as my Beta BAFan has been, I have forgotten to credit her these last few chapters. She has been incredibly patient and hopefully, she'll be working on New Chapters soon as well as improving these earlier chapters. If this story has improved, please thank her!

Title: The Truth Behind the Name and the Lies pt. 6

Pairing: DracoxHarry, OliverxPercy, twincest and various other pairings

Fandom: HP

Notes: An abused boy finds out he's a wizard and a hero; his tormented mind rebels. One person sees through the misconceptions to the real Harry and treats him the way he deserves. How does this change them both and those around them?

 

 

Chapter 14- Political Moves and Proposed Adoptions

 

Andromeda left St. Mungo's and flooed to the Ministry; there was one person besides Ted she'd trust with this information and that was her replacement as Head Girl: former Head of Magical Law Enforcement and now Minister for Magic Amelia Bones.

 

The secretary sat up straight when she entered. "Mistress Black-Tonks?"

 

"Would Minister Bones be free? It is imperative that I speak with her."

 

"Just a moment, I believe she is but I will check." The secretary hurried into the inner office and then returned quickly. "The minister has a few moments to spare."

 

"Thank you, I'll see myself in." Andromeda made her way into the inner office and opened the door.

 

Seated behind an antique French desk was Minister for Magic Bones.  "Andromeda, how might I help you?  Please, have a seat." She gestured to the chair in front of her desk, which Andromeda took with a nod of thanks before coming right to the point of her visit.

 

"First, I would like your permission to formally request that Harry be allowed to petition to seize all assets belonging to the Lestranges. Second, I would like your permission to blood adopt Bella's child, who will be raised as my son but will be granted Rodolphus' title when he reaches his age of majority. Third, I want Ministry permission to cast a restricted spell."

 

"You may request that Harry seize the Lestrange estate and, yes, you may adopt Bella's son. The records will be sealed; I wouldn't harm an innocent child by letting it be known that its mother was Bellatrix Lestrange.  As for your final request, what spell is it?"

 

"A spell to determine paternity in case of a rape," said Andromeda grimly.

 

"What! Who has been raped?"

 

"Ginevra Molly Nameless has been unconscious for the past few months in the Janus Thickey Ward. However, she is currently nine weeks pregnant. She was impregnated while unconscious, using magical means. She is still virginal, her hymen intact, so the person responsible for the assault failed to make it look like a proper rape."

 

Amelia Bones gasped, "Helga preserve us! I know her track record isn't as terrible as Ronald's but she was up to some despicable things with those potions two school years ago. Then again she was under the influence for a time of an extremely Dark Artefact.  As if she hasn't suffered enough. She belongs to neither the House of Weasley nor the House of Prewett." She reached for a quill and started scribbling.

 

_''Office of the Minister for Magic_

_Ministry of Magic_

_London, England_

_Ministerial Decree # 12997_

_I, Amelia Bones, Minister for Magic, member of the Council of Magical Law, and Regent for the House of Bones,_

_do give Madam Healer Andromeda Black-Tonks permission to use the regulated spell Parentus Revealus to_

_determine parentage of the child forcibly sired upon a minor **,** one Ginevra Molly Nameless._

_Dated this day_

_August 20, 1996_

_Signed,_

_Amelia Maia Bones_

_Minister for Magic_

_Madam Bones, Ides of Essex, Hereford and Northampton_

_Incumbent of the Bones Wizengamot seat_

_Member of the Council for Magical Law'_

She handed the authorization to Andromeda. "Her care is being paid for by Lord Prewett but it won't look good for her to be pregnant underage. I doubt many would believe the rape."

 

"It's hard to be able to give consent when one is unconscious or at least trapped in their own mind," Andromeda said tartly.  "Then there is the fact that her hymen is intact. That could just mean that the assailant was sloppy."

 

A large stack of paper appeared in Amelia's inbox. 

 

Andromeda stood, pocketing the letter of authorization. "I shall leave you to your work. Thank you for the few moments of your time, Minister."

 

"Of course, Andromeda. You have proven yourself to be a formidable ally."

 

Andromeda set out for her next appointment, visiting the reclusive Lord Potter-Black. Harry had been emancipated at his Bonding to Draco but had left the political work to her, which was perfectly legal and understandable given Harry's age.

 

XoooooX

 

Harry was playing peek-a-boo with his children while Draco read a book.

 

They were at home, in the large but comfortable drawing room at Launde Abbey.

 

Draco was pleased that Harry wasn't suffering any ill effects from his birthday.  The drinks had been dosed with lust potions, and many had ended up involved in an orgy.  Neville, Hermione and Coraline had been shaken; in fact, Hermione had flooed back to the Manor as soon as she awoke from the potion-induced daze.

 

Coraline had been given a potion to prevent conception, while Dora and Narcissa were examined to be certain that neither the potion nor the resulting sex had harmed the babies they were carrying.

 

Charity had shown up briefly to wish Harry many happy returns of the day but left rather suddenly. She claimed to be too unwell to stay. She'd only been home a short time; the Healers worried for her, what  with the assault by Bellatrix and the death of her husband at the Ministry. Blaise had been correct; both mother and child were seemingly well. They could only hope for Charity's sake that that continued.

 

A house elf - Dobby - popped in. "Master Draco, Miss Annie be here to see you."

 

The door to the Drawing Room opened.  Andromeda greeted Draco with a stiff nod and walked over to Harry. "As a restored Daughter of the House of Black, I request an audience with Lord Black."

 

Harry looked up from playing with his children, "All right. Draco, please see to it that Artemis and Tritan are fed, changed and put down for a nap. They are getting sleepy."

 

"Have they said their first word yet?" Andromeda wanted to know.

 

Harry kissed the top of their heads gently before rising from the blanket. "No, but they are growing like weeds. We'll have to go shopping soon for new clothes." He led the way from the drawing room to the library that was also his study. He was still studying to take the exams to attend the Healing school associated with St. Mungo's. They wouldn't allow him to take the exam until his seventeenth birthday, despite being emancipated.

 

Once they were alone, Andromeda took a seat opposite him at the library table.

 

Harry relaxed in his chair. "Have you come to tell me how Bellatrix is doing?"

 

"Yes.  The child seems strong. It's a boy; I recommend that you do not strike Bella from the House. As Lord Black, you have the authority to seize estates related to your family. On your behalf. I seized the Crouch estate by virtue of Bartimus being the son of the Daughter of the House of Black, Lady Weasley's sister Charis. I was going to petition you to grant the title to Sirius. Mostly because it would keep him out of the House of Black business and would be considered restitution for his being sent to Azkaban without trial by the last Lord Crouch."

 

Harry sighed.  He was young for the responsibility but between Lucius, Draco and Andromeda he would have advisors as he came into his own. "I have to petition for the seizure of the Lestrange assets. Oh joy. I'm sure the Dark Families will love that. They are already furious at the Malfoy family for defecting from the ranks. As for the Crouch title, I could pass it on to his daughter. I'd prefer to grant it to a son but I was his heir anyway. I'll just have to come up with a new surname for the title. "

 

Andromeda nodded, "True, but as Lord Black you can insist. With Rodolphus a proven Death Eater and killed during the Attack on Malfoy Manor, he couldn't inherit according to the new rules. However, if you control the Lestrange estate, you control their vote. You can either petition the Minister for Magic to allow you to have three votes or you can appoint a regent."

 

"We can't let the child be raised a Lestrange, no one would want to be treated like a pariah. He'd be hated."

 

"Amelia, Minister Bones, promised to allow Ted and me to secretly blood adopt the child. Bella's pregnancy is a family secret; only myself, Nymphadora, Ted, yourself and Cissy know. Though I assume you told Draco."

 

Harry nodded. "I have no secrets from my Bondmate. So, Aunt Annie, who should take the boy in and adopt him?"

Andromeda was nearly certain that Harry meant "fostering" rather than adoption.  Fostering was different; it means that they are merely responsible for the child’s care and guidance. Blood adoption was using magic to become the child in question’s parents by blood. In this case, essentially replacing Bellatrix and whoever the sire was, so that their birth parents’ crimes and cruelty couldn’t haunt them. Such a choice was of course up to a couple, not to be forced or pressured. Some families, especially the Blacks and the Malfoys, had strict guidelines for when it is acceptable and how a blood adopted child could inherit. Often times, they must be the natural child to at least one of the parents and can only inherit if there are no other plausible heirs.

 

It seemed as if Harry failed to realize that there was a difference between fostering and adoption. Harry like his friends considered Lucius and Narcissa to be Blaise’s parents, they never blood adopted him but they did raise him. They were responsible for most of Blaise’s raising but did allow him to spend time with his birth family to learn about his Veela. Andromeda herself was a pureblood, therefore she recognized a difference between fostering and adoption, much less blood adoption and realized for the child’s sake that a blood adoption was necessary. Hence, the idea of a faked pregnancy on Andromeda’s part. For the child’s sake, their true ancestry and parentage must be forgotten and sealed. No child deserved to learn they were Bellatrix’s…

 

Andromeda gave him a tight smile. "I've talked to Cissy, Nymphadora and Ted. Cissy said that between Carina and the son she is already carrying, she would prefer not to take him in. She worries that he would be given inadequate attention and care. Nymphadora politely refused as she is already carrying a child. She and her Bonded have demanding careers, and they hadn't counted on having one child so soon, much less two. Dora will be put on maternal leave, whether she wants it or not. She needs time to bond with her son. Donnie was more than a little disturbed by the idea of adopting Bellatrix's son. Well, at the time when we discussed it, we weren't aware it was a son."

 

Harry was thoughtful, then he smirked. "I have just the solution."

 

Andromeda was clearly all ears.

 

"I'm going to allow you to adopt the child. It's my title to do with as I please. I hold the Lestranges responsible for Blaise's stillborn, so to make the Lestranges scream and curse in the Veil, I shall declare the Lestrange family extinct in the male line. Then I shall change the name, declare that the title is now Black-Tonks and register it as an open title entailed upon neither gender.  However, you will announce that you are by some miracle pregnant. I shall declare your unborn child the heir apparent to the newly formed House Black-Tonks, then have you sworn in as Lady Black-Tonks and Ted shall be your consort. It would be too much to have him declared Lord Black-Tonks and that title just doesn't suit him."

 

Andromeda was stunned. "You're going to give Bella's title to me?"

 

Harry grinned. "Who better? One, it's a neat revenge on Bellatrix; having her bloodtraitor sister as the first Lady Black-Tonks would give her a heart attack. Two, you, unlike some, already have experience. Dora wouldn't want anything to do with politics; after all, she just wants to be an Auror. Besides, no offence meant, Aunt Annie, but she married a Muggleborn just as you did, so her blood is considered a little too common. It would be impossible for her to be treated with any sort of respect. You told me that it could be forgiven once. By being Bonded to Draco, my children are considered purebloods because they have three pureblood grandparents."

 

Which was quite true; James Potter, Narcissa Black and Lucius Malfoy were most definitely born purebloods. What's more, Harry was Black through his grandmother Dorea while Draco was Black through his mother. The relationship wasn't close enough to cause problems, considering that Draco's great-grandfather Pollux Black was Dorea Black's eldest brother. It did keep up the "tradition" of marrying relatives.

 

Andromeda had expected that her return to Wizarding politics would be short; she had merely been the Regent of the Black and Potter estate, titles and seats. Now Harry was offering her own seat to be granted to her son. After being told she'd never have another child, here was Fate giving her a little boy no one would want. Well, no one who wasn't Dark anyway. She reached over and patted his hand, fighting back tears. "Thank you, Harry."

 

Harry shook his head. "You have helped me a lot. You got me away from the Dursleys and you had them punished. You even let me live with papa when you could have insisted I live with you. You weren't angry with me for getting pregnant. You got Dumbledore out of Hogwarts and had him tried before the Wizengamot. You got Sirius a trial. You even let me Bond to Draco and gave me my titles early. I think letting you assume the Lestrange estate and become Lady Black-Tonks is a perfect way to say thank you and make up for the abysmal treatment you received from Sirius' mother. Besides, you of all people deserve to be a Lady."

 

Andromeda pulled out a handkerchief to dab her eyes. "We also have a slight problem. **I** am unsure if you are aware that I was asked to oversee Ginny's care. I'll be informing Charlie about this, but someone managed to impregnate Ginevra. Medically, she shouldn't be pregnant since she's a virgin. However, it seems that someone cast some man's seed into her womb and it quickened. I am informing you because although Ginevra was born of the Prewetts and for the Weasleys, she is currently of no House and no Name. You may choose to take her into custody on the basis that her grandmother was a Black."

 

Harry scoffed. "Not likely. She tried to use Amortentia on me as well as another potion to make me trust her. It would be very unpleasant for me to bring her into the family even for the child's sake.  In fact, Draco would protest strongly."

 

Andromeda shrugged. "I was merely letting you know, though once removed, since Arthur was born of the Blacks and for the Weasleys, that you had the choice. Unless the paternity spell reveals a Black to be the father or that of another pureblood family, the child will be considered a ward of the Ministry. If it is proved that the sire was not involved in the rape and subsequent pregnancy, then the Head of House can demand custody of the child. They can also choose to adopt the child."

 

Harry was thoughtful. "While I don't want Ginny, if no one else wants the child, I might be willing to make some sort of arrangement. Ginny is too young and immature to be a parent even if she were in her right mind. With Molly disowned by both Houses, I doubt the Ministry would allow her custody."

 

"Thank you, Harry. I will discuss your proposed appointment and ask Ted what he thinks about being related to a Lady."

 

Harry chuckled. "Uncle Ted would say you've always been a Lady and it's about time the world woke up and officially made you one."

 

"Cheeky little bugger," Andromeda muttered affectionately as she made her way out.

 

XoooooX

 

Andromeda met Ted for their customary lunch before reluctantly returning to St. Mungo's. She'd worked here for so long that the other Healers paid her little mind. She'd forbidden other Healers to treat Bella and Ginevra, except for emergencies.

 

As if anyone else would treat the person responsible for the Longbottoms being nearly permanent residents.

 

Had Bella survived the Battle of the Department of Mysteries in better shape, she would have been re-tried for murder, seeing how Francis Longbottom died as a result of his injuries. Though according to Coraline, he'd given his life for his wife so that she might have a relationship with their son. According to Ted, who was part of Alice's care team, she was progressing well. She had to return from her "coma" enough to start relearning to talk, walk and do simple things like feed and clothe herself. Augusta had commented once it was like having a large two-year-old around. Ted told her it was more like helping someone recover from a stroke.

 

Neville had reportedly told her to knock it off. That having a little of his mother was better than nothing. Alice may not become much like the woman she had been before she was tortured, but hopefully she might be coherent enough to be a part of Neville's life. As a grandmother, Augusta had raised Neville, doing her best; however, no one could replace a parent.

 

She was lucky that Ginevra was close enough to Bellatrix's bed that she could cast the spell on both at the same time. Standing between them, Andromeda cast the spell, nonverbally, to keep the pregnancies from being realised outside the circle of those who needed to know.A moment later, mentally cursing, she hurriedly added a spell to hide the results from view, having belatedly realised that anyone entering the room would be able to see the names being displayed. **  
**

 

The spell showed the mother's name first:

 

Mother: Bellatrix Maia Lestrange [nee Black], born 7 October 1957.

 

Mother: Ginevra Molly Weasley, born 11 August 1981

 

Father:

 

The father was blank. For some reason, the spell wasn't showing the father of Bella's child.

 

This sent a shiver down her spine and she begged Fate that the child was a Lestrange and not the Dark Lord's. In the years between Hogwarts and Azkaban, Bella had not had a child. Perhaps, like some members of the family, she had difficulties conceiving. Or she could have taken great care against conception. Bella always said there was nothing worse for a woman's figure than breeding. Andromeda then looked over at the results of the spell on it’s authorised target.

 

Father: Sirius ...

 

At this Andromeda gave a gasp, sufficiently distracted from her concerns about the sire of Bella's son.

 

Father: Sirius Orion Black, born 7 October 1959.

 

It had been a surprise when Sirius was born on Bella's second birthday.  Andromeda had been four and it was one of her first memories. In fact, Aunt Walburga went into labour during Bella's birthday party - if one could call that dreary event a party.

 

How in the world did someone get hold of Sirius' seed? What purpose did impregnating a fifteen-year-old girl who at present belonged to no one serve? Sighing, Andromeda cast a spell that created a three-dimensional picture of the child in both wombs. She took photo with quick charms of each infant. Placing the image of Bella's child in her left pocket while the picture of Ginevra's went in her right.

 

It could get much worse. Cissy had warned her of Bella's infatuation with the Dark Lord. Especially with the fact that the spell failed to reveal the sire…

 

It was surprising that after Azkaban that Bella or Sirius could have sired or borne children.

 

Now she had to go break the "news" and create a glamour that would mimic Bella's pregnancy.

 

How in the world did they deal with Ginevra's baby? It should revert to the House of Black if they could prove that it was done maliciously and without the knowledge of Sirius. Unfortunately, it required her to pay a visit to Charity.

 

This would not be a pleasant trip

 

First, Narcissa would have to be talked into pretending to discover Andromeda's "miraculous pregnancy." As well as her fears regarding the sire…

 

Andromeda flooed to the Manor and was escorted to Narcissa's music room.

 

"Annie? How good of you to come. How is Bella?"

 

Andromeda gave her a smile. "Still unconscious." She cast a powerful privacy charm. "Harry decided - as Lord Black of course - that Bella's child and his inheritance shall pass to me. I am to pretend to have conceived and to make it appear that I am just as pregnant as Bella. I would like to request that you step in as my personal Healer. You are allowed to speak that the conception was a surprise. You were led to believe that the birth of Nymphadora was traumatic enough to render me barren, which it did. However, my desire for a family must have allowed me to heal. Thus I am shockingly pregnant. As a Healer, I'm trusting you with my pregnancy. Even growing up I noticed you had a rare gift."

 

Narcissa was excited because the subterfuge was intriguing. Covering up Bella's pregnancy, sealed blood adoption records, faking a pregnancy - all to protect an unborn child who had the misfortune of being Bella's son. Narcissa was kindhearted enough to not hold the loss of Blaise's child against this innocent babe. The poor thing didn't have the good fortune to be born to someone who wasn't crazy, a killer or escaped prisoner. "Who is the sire? Oh, the spell to determine that before birth is restricted."

 

Andromeda fished out the Executive Order signed by the Minister for Magic. "Amelia gave me special permission to use it. However, she gave it to me in conjunction with another case of pregnancy: Ginevra."

 

Narcissa gasped, her worries about the parentage of Bella's child briefly forgotten. "Ginevra? The girl who tried to use potions on Harry?  She's pregnant?  Oh, joy.  She's been recently cast off from both the Weasley family and the Prewetts and belongs to no House and has no name."

 

"Indeed," Andromeda sighed. "She's been unconscious since she attempted to attack young Coraline again a few months ago. It appears that she's just reached the nine-week mark. Cissy, she was clearly magically assaulted. Her hymen is still intact. The spell revealed who the father of her child is, but I'd bet my Healing license that he knew nothing about it and is just as much of a victim as she is."

 

Now Narcissa was curious. "You must tell me."

 

Andromeda drew in a deep breath. "Cissy, it's Sirius."

 

Narcissa frowned. "Sirius? As in our cousin? What in Salazar's name? Oh, poor Charity. This is the last thing she needs. She just lost her husband and though the child is safe, but she's very emotionally fragile."

 

Andromeda nodded. "Ted and I look in on her often. We offered to let her come stay with us when she was released after being attacked by Bella, which she refused. She insisted on returning to Grimmauld and being taken care of by that dreary house elf, Kreacher. He and Sirius loathed one another, but seeing that he made a perfectly acceptable pureblood marriage, the elf had little to say except for muttering how Sirius was an embarrassment because he was restricted from taking the reins of his inheritance. Kreacher resented that I was the Head of the Family, but he allowed that I was the eldest and that I was only the Regent. He's not keen on being under Harry's authority. Yet Harry did summon him, apparently, and tell him that he wished for him to continue serving Charity. Harry has plenty of other house elves; between the few loaned by Lucius and the ones he received from the Potters, he's comfortable."

 

"If Lucius had died suddenly - " Narcissa paled and shivered at the very idea, " - and then I heard he'd sired a child with another woman, I don't know what I would do."

 

Andromeda sighed, "It's something I have to discuss with Charity.  She can choose to adopt the child or she can allow Harry, as Lord Black, to claim it. Since Ginevra is of No House and Sirius is most likely innocent, the child should revert to either the legal spouse of the sire or the Head of his House."

 

The House of Black had shrunk to just herself, Bella, Cissy, Nymphadora, Draco, Harry and Sirius in the last few years, but now it was growing again. Draco and Harry had two children: Artemis and Tritan. Cissy had Draco, Carina and this new son. Nymphadora was expecting a son and so was - Andromeda winced - Bella. Sirius was apparently, though dead, expecting both a son and a daughter through different bearers. With the exception of Cedrella Weasley nee Black, all of the elder Blacks had passed through the Veil by 1992.  Of course, that is if one ignored Uncle Alphard's younger children, which most did.

 

"So . . . the spell failed to reveal the sire?"

 

Andromeda nodded.  "I may not have been close enough, unless…"

 

"Unless what?"

 

"Unless a spell was cast to hide or prevent the naming of the sire. It could mean nothing, perhaps a way of mudding the waters. Or . . . " a chill went through her ". . . the father isn't Rodolphus."

 

Narcissa swallowed. "For all our sakes, let's hope that it's Rodolphus."

 

"Although, with a blood adoption, even if it wasn't, he'll be a not quite pureblood. For the Dark Lord's line to be purged of the so-called taint of his mother’s misalliance, he'd have to have a child with a pureblood, as Harry did." Andromeda knew full well that that had nothing to do with why her nephew was the Bondmate of Harry Potter. They were born soulbonded; they never had a choice in being together. Not that either young man cared; they loved each other most sincerely just as she and Narcissa cared for their husbands. "My line is forever 'tainted' because Nymphadora chose to bind herself and her magic to a Muggleborn, as I did. I can only hope that my soon-to-be born son is more circumspect. "

 

Narcissa didn't care one whit about this "tainted" business.  She was more open-minded but had spent years nodding at Bella and their associates in the Death Eaters before the deaths of the Potters as they expounded on the topic of Muggleborns polluting their world, the rising numbers of Halfbloods, and the importance of blood purity. All stuff and nonsense; she was just lucky, she'd actually fallen in love with Lucius after they were betrothed. "You don't believe in this tainted nonsense anymore then I do. I suggest, Annie, that you talk to Charity about Sirius' son. Then you talk to Harry. Both boys fall under his protection and his agreement as to their placement. Do yourself a favour, no more Apparating. The dangers of Apparating while pregnant are astronomical. When I think about how much Apparating Bella did before the Battle that killed Sirius, I'm appalled. "

 

Andromeda nodded. "I'll eat properly, pretend to have morning sickness."

 

"Forget the morning sickness. Some women don't have it; they just get tired more easily. Now hurry up and make up that glamour. You're pregnant, remember, and you ought to look it. Considering how similar you are to Bella in looks, it shouldn't be difficult," Narcissa chastised her.

 

Andromeda stood, nonverbally weaving a glamour. When she was finished, her already pale face was paler, her eyes were luminous but tired - no self-respecting pureblood would be seen in public with dark circles and there was just the slightest hint of a baby bump.

 

Narcissa gave her a slight nod in approval. "Now run along, you've got errands and I've got to see Hermione about Bonding plans. She's wandering the Manor with a smile on her face. She too is pregnant, just gone three weeks. Viktor proposed recently and offered to pay for everything. I've got people to see and plans to make just as you do. I love you, Annie, but get."

 

Before Andromeda knew what hit her, she was outside the room and staring at the door, somewhat nonplussed.

 

Well, she was going to take her Healer's advice and go see her cousin-in law. That would be a very unpleasant experience.

 

XoooooX

 

Charity Burbage-Black was planning on cleaning up the library today. She'd finally come to terms with the reality that Sirius, her beloved Bondmate, wasn't coming back. They'd been attacked while waiting for the Knight Bus. Charity had developed an intolerance for flooing during the course of her pregnancy. She was terrified of heights, so flying was out and she would never put her precious little girl at risk. Sirius had insisted it was a boy for the longest time; he'd wanted to name it for his best friend, James. She'd been convinced it was a girl from the beginning. They'd just found out the day they were attacked; their daughter would not cooperate before to let them see what gender she was.

 

She boxed up any files from his work as an Auror, to be returned to Arthur to be dealt with. Charity planned to ask Dora to bring it in for her. She looked up, raising her wand to dust the tapestry.

 

Upon the ascension of Andromeda to the position of Head of the Black Family, her place in the family tree had been restored. As Head of the Black family, Andromeda had restored Sirius to his rightful place.. When she looked up, instead of seeing just herself and Sirius as she had soon after they were Bonded. she saw something that made her scream.

 

Part of what the Family Tree showed was innocuous:

 

Walburga Irene Black = Orion Arcturus Black

b. 1925           b. 1929  
d. 1985           d. 1979

V

Sirius Orion Black               Regulus Arcturus Black

b.7 October 1959                   b. 15 January 1961  
d. June 27 1996                     d. 1979                 

 

Ginevra Molly Weasley - Sirius Orion Black = Charity Evanna Burbage

b.11 August 1981        b. 7 October 1959     b. 23 April 1961  
  d. June 27 1996

V                                           V

James Sirius Black-Weasley                    Talyn Faith Burbage-Black

 

Charity couldn't believe it, nor did she stop screaming. "No! No! NO!" Sirius had been faithful - she knew he had and that he'd come to care for her. When they made love, he was tender and gentle. Despite his sexual exploits, he had been shocked and even touched that not only had she believed in his innocence and protested his sentencing without trial, Charity had saved herself. She'd been a virgin when Sirius reluctantly took her to bed to consummate their Bonding.

 

Her heart rebelled.  How could Sirius have fathered another child?

 

As a Hogwarts professor, she'd known that Ginny had been taken to St. Mungo's and last she'd heard, was still in the Janus Thickey Ward. Sirius hadn't been there! He'd had no reason for it. How could you impregnate a fourteen-year-old girl? He'd been in the field or here. He'd become quite attentive and protective when he learned she was pregnant. He'd celebrated, floo-calling his entire family: Narcissa, Andromeda, Dora, Harry and even Remus. He'd said it was a boy and he was going to call it James.

 

Her claiming it was a girl had begun mostly as a joke.

 

He would wake up and get ready to go to the Ministry.  Before he left, he'd kiss her cheek and then tell their "son" to be a good boy and not cause his mother discomfort. Then he'd press her hand, wish her good day, promise to do his best to be home at a decent hour or to send his apologies if he would not. He always took her to her Healer appointments, even though they were in the middle of a war.

 

Now he was gone, she was all alone. It wasn't fair! She was expected to raise their child on her own and now there was the tapestry accusing Sirius of fooling around with an unconscious former student. She would strangle whoever had toyed with the tapestry.

 

The door opened behind her and she spun around, wand out.

 

It was Andromeda. "Peace! I've come to talk. Why were you screaming?"

 

Andromeda looked different, paler, tired, and she'd put on weight?

 

Charity slid into Sirius' chair, which was behind his desk, "I came to tidy this up and put his Auror files aside to give to Dora. I looked up to see if I needed to spell away the dust and I found that." She gestured behind her in the vague direction of the offending pronouncement.

 

Andromeda looked and saw the new entry on the tapestry.  She sighed, "I see. Then you already know what I came to tell you. I had hoped to break the news to you gently but seeing how you've already learned it. . . ."

 

"Tell me this is one of Dora's pranks."

 

XoooooX

 

Andromeda tried not to let her temper flare. "While I'll admit that Nymphadora takes more chances then I would like, what with Apparating and dueling while pregnant, she wouldn't pull a stunt like this. Unless we can place Sirius in St. Mungos a week to ten days prior to his death, the probability of his being responsible for the assault and illegal impregnation of Ginevra is minuscule. I regret to inform you that the pregnancy is very real."

 

She pulled out the picture. "A boy. Sirius' son. Someone is attempting to sully Sirius' name by making it seem as though he assaulted Ginevra. However, they made a slight miscalculation that makes it seem that it's impossible for Sirius to be involved willingly in the rape. Therefore as a member of your bonded's House and the healer assigned to Ginevra, I offer you a choice: the right to declare Ginevra your ward temporarily until the child is born. Rape it may be, but due to Sirius' probable innocence, the legal precedent is the same as when one sires a child with a mistress. The bastard can be brought into the bosom of the family and blood-adopted by the legal Bondmate of the sire. Sirius was wronged as you have been. He wanted children, a family. More than anything he wanted a son to name after his best friend. He would have been happy with a daughter but every man wants a son."

 

Andromeda smirked, continuing. "Especially since I seized the Crouch estate and title on behalf of the House of Black. It was to be granted to Sirius but in the wake of arranging his Bonding and the births of Harry's children, I hadn't got around to it. Harry agrees the title should have been Sirius'. Since the Crouch name is defiled and it has been seized, the seat will be renamed. As there is already a Black seat and the Burbage family, which is pureblood and respected, has one of their own - "

 

"You wish to recommend that the title take my Bonded name?" Charity guessed.

 

Andromeda nodded. "I think that after the sorrow of what the Crouch patriarch put you both through, it's only fair that you take back your own and become Lady Burbage-Black. You are welcome to grant your daughter the right of heiress to the title."

 

Charity nodded, touching her belly rounded with child. "I didn't understand until now why the tapestry reads what it reads. 'Talyn' is the Gaelic rendering of the constellation Lyra. It's referring to Arthur's harp. 'Faith' because of my faith in Sirius and because Faith and Charity are equally important virtues. I don't wish to name her after myself. Like mother, we thought it a silly, self-serving practice."

 

"Then what about 'James'? I don't see Ginny naming him that."

 

XoooooX

 

Charity's demeanour was calmer now. "'James' because that's what Sirius wanted our son's name to be. 'Sirius' in honour of his father, who would have been as shocked as I am to find out he had a son. The tapestry doesn't show me adopting him, but it's clear from his given name that I must. When I do, Ginevra will disappear from the family tapestry. You may inform Harry that this unexpected occurrence is a partial blessing. I get a son and a daughter by my Bonded. I'll miss him surely but they are my children. I doubt that her former relatives will want the child and I have a claim through the sire. I will gladly accept the title of Lady Burbage-Black. I will raise my son to be someone worthy of both our lines."

 

The shock of seeing that Sirius was having a child with another woman had temporarily pulled the rug from beneath Charity's feet but the woman was far stronger then Andromeda expected. Showing that one should never underestimate Hufflepuffs. "I will pass on your decision to Harry. I shall keep you apprised of Ginevra's condition." She held out the photograph. "I believe this belongs to you."

 

Charity quite forgot herself and snatched it. After studying it for a moment, she decided something: "I want to order a portrait painted of my late husband. Between his Auror pay, his own inheritance and this house I can retire from Hogwarts. It's too late to give Severus notice at this point. I'll work until he finds a replacement for me. Raising two young children a few months apart will be difficult. I'd like to pretend that they have always been mine but that's impossible. Had we been seeing you or Narcissa, no one would ever need know."

 

XoooooX

 

"Make the Healer take a Healer's Oath never to divulge that you carry only one child. Then drop the Healer. Either Cissy or I will gladly treat you. I'm already caring for Ginevra," Andromeda said with a slight shrug.

 

"Very well. Thank you for your advice. Do ask Dora to stop by when she gets a chance. I'd like Sirius' files returned to the Ministry as soon as possible."

 

Recognising this as dismissal, Andromeda rose to take her leave. "I'm glad we are in agreement. By the way, I thought you be interested to know that I'm four months gone."

 

Charity broke out into a smile. "Congratulations."

 

Andromeda bowed. "I just found out. I went to see Cissy and being a Healer, she realised it." She forced herself to blush. "We weren't even trying. We were told after a string of miscarriages that it was unlikely and to give up hope."

 

"Oh Annie, Sirius would have been so pleased! Despite everything, he still claimed you as his favourite cousin."

 

Andromeda pulled out the picture of Bella's baby to show her, "It's a boy. Ted always wanted a son."

 

"As you said, all men want sons even if they are pleased to have any child." She admired the picture and handed it back.

 

Andromeda bowed. "I'll take my leave and congratulations on having a son.

 

Most likely Charity would raise them as twins, choosing a date between their births to claim their birthday. Something like the Observed birthday of Queen Elizabeth II and her actual birthday. Like herself wishing to protect Bella's son of being known as her son by blood adopting him, Charity would want to protect her husband from being accused of rape and his son from being haunted by the knowledge of being the product of a rape by claiming him as her following her blood adoption.

 

Andromeda had turned to leave and then turned. "May I?" Gesturing at the tapestry.

 

Charity raised an eyebrow. "May you what?"

 

"Check something?"

 

Charity shrugged. "I don't mind."

 

Andromeda repaired the blast mark Sirius had cast on the tapestry following his 'return to the bosom of the family'.  Once he'd been Bonded, she'd restored him to the tapestry.

 

That was why no one knew about Bella's pregnancy; when she was blasted off even Rodolphus had disappeared.

 

Standing there she reread the tapestry.

 

Bella was there, plus one more…

 

Bellatrix Medea Black = Rabastan Lestrange

 

Andromeda took a slow breath to steel herself for whatever name was revealed.

 

 

  
 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?
> 
> Also don't hate me for the cliffy. The chapter is very long already. I wanted to hear your thoughts dear readers.
> 
> Bella's son- is it Voldy's or Rabastan's?
> 
> Did Bella choose not to try for a child with Rodolphus because she was in love with Voldy?
> 
> Was it because of them was infertile?
> 
> Or like many Blacks was she not fertile until she was older?
> 
> The name that is on the Tapestry has been decided already however I'm still undecided who the father is. Either way it will become Ted- that would give Bella a heart attack. hearing that her song will be blood adopted and raised by her bloodtraitor sister and Muggleborn brother-in-law.
> 
> Yes Bella was married to Rodolphus the elder Lestrange brother but when he died childless according to his family's tradition Rabastan who was single bonded to Bella in hopes of a child to carry on the title.


	15. Babies and Bondings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Truth Behind the name and the lies Family Tree
> 
> Molly and Arthur Weasley  
> William Bronwen- b. 29 Oct 1971  
> Charles Hector - b. 12 Dec 1972  
> Percival Brian - b. 22 Aug 1976  
> Frederick Maris - b. 1 Apr 1978  
> George Caius - b. 1 Apr 1978  
> Ronald Bilius - b. 1 Mar 1980 d. 17 Oct 1997  
> Ginevra Molly- b. 11 Aug 1981
> 
> Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy  
> Draconis Lucius Malfoy - b. 5 June 1980  
> Carina Fayanna Malfoy - b. 8 Feb 1995  
> Scorpius Marcus Black- Malfoy - due Dec 1996/Jan 1997
> 
> James and Lily Potter  
> Harry James Potter - b. 31 July 1980  
> Coraline Dorena Potter - b. 9 Feb 1982
> 
> William and Fleur Weasley  
> Victoire Aimee - b. 21 Jun 1995  
> Louis Arnett - b. 21 Jun 1995  
> Gabriel Anton - b. 15 Jun 1996  
> Dominique Avril - b. 15 Jun 1996  
> Roxanne Anastasia - b. 15 Jun 1996
> 
> Charlie and Blaise Prewett- Zabini  
> Athena Amata Zabini - b. 12 Apr 1995  
> Perseus Fabian Zabini - b. 12 Apr 1995  
> Gregorio Nicolai Prewett-Zabini - b. 13 Apr 1996 d. 13 Apr 1996  
> Alethea Narissa Prewett - b. 13 Apr 1999  
> Taurus Lucien Prewett - b. 13 Apr 1996
> 
> Percy and Oliver Wood  
> Sean Andre - b. 3 Jun 1995
> 
> Fred and George Weasley  
> Clarissa Isadora - b. 1 Sep 1995  
> Gawain Jesse - b. 1 Sep 1995
> 
> Ginny and Sirius  
> James Sirius - due Feb/Mar
> 
> Remus and Severus Prince  
> Aurelian Prince - b. 15 Oct 1995  
> Lucan Lupin - b. 15 Oct 1995
> 
> Harry and Draco Potter-Malfoy  
> Artemis Titania Malfoy - b. 27 Nov 1995  
> Tritan Leo Malfoy - b. 27 Nov 1995
> 
> Sirius and Charity Burbage-Black  
> Talyn Faith- due Oct/Nov 1996
> 
> Donnie and Dora Tremlett  
> Kenneth Leo - due Aug/Sept 1996
> 
> Viktor and Hermione Krum  
> Nadejda [Nan] Anne - due April/May 1997
> 
> Bellatrix and ?  
> Rigel Pericles Tonks

Title: The Truth Behind the Name and the Lies pt. 6

Pairing: DracoxHarry, OliverxPercy, twincest? Ect.

Fandom: HP

Notes: An abused boy finds out he's a wizard and a hero; his tormented mind rebels. One person sees through the misconceptions to the real Harry and treats him the way he deserves. How does this change them both and those around them?

Not a real update but it might help keep the families and kids straight.

 

**Chapter 15- Babies and Bondings**

 

Andromeda took a slow breath to steel herself for whatever name would be revealed as the father of Bella's child.

 

The name on the Tapestry beneath Bella's was "Rigel Pericles Tonks."  Rigel's name wasn't attached to Rodolphus', which made sense now that she thought about it.  After all, Rodolphus had been dead a month when the foetus was conceived.

 

The name of the sire was...hard to tell.  _Actually, not clear at all,_ Andromeda realised with a puzzled frown, watching the Tapestry.  She'd never seen or heard of anything like this, not that she was an expert, but still...  Other names were slowly appearing in faint gold script to the left of Bella's name, as had been done with Ginny and Sirius, but then disappearing only to reappear and then fade again.  At times, even Rigel’s name was obscured, which seemed unusual for the Tapestry. Sometimes it seemed that the Tapestry was certain it was Rabastan, and Rigel's name moved over to attach itself to his; at others, it seemed to think the father was Tom Marvolo Riddle.

 

Whoever that was…

With the sire being in dispute it would be difficult, but if they claimed it was Rabastan, who would be stripped of his title, then it wouldn't matter. She wondered why the Tapestry couldn't make up its mind. The magic woven into the Black Family Tree Tapestry was ancient; it often knew of Bondings before the persons involved in it.  And, as Charity had discovered, it also gave notice of impending births.

 

Andromeda was old enough to remember when Aunt Walburga conceived Regulus.  She hadn't been trying and had no idea until she walked into the library and there his name was: Regulus Cygnus Black.

 

Her aunt had not been happy - one child had been more than enough trouble - but she'd kept the pregnancy.  Regulus was a sullen child; he wanted no friends and made fewer, unlike Sirius, who although troublesome and a bit of a bully, was also gregarious.  They were like oil and water, neither wanting nor trying to understand the other.  Regulus' biggest failing was his constant need to prove himself to his mother, who never wanted him to begin with.  He was constantly compared to Sirius; Sirius became an Auror and Regulus a Death Eater.

 

Then Regulus died, suddenly.

 

Uncle Orion died of a heart attack when he heard the news.

 

To this day no one knew how Regulus died, or why. His name just appeared one day on the tapestry as deceased. All they knew was the date: 10th August 1979.  It was in the summer before his Seventh Year; he was seventeen, going on eighteen, with his entire life ahead of him. The last anyone heard from him was a scrawled note to Sirius:

_Brother,_

_You were right._ _The Dark Lord is completely_ _mad._ _I made a terrible mistake._

_I'm going to try to stop him.  I will probably die but at least it will be for_

_a good cause and not at the end of your or any Auror's wand._

_I am sorry._

_Your brother,_

_Regulus_

 

Aunt Walburga never saw that note and had no idea what he might have been doing. There had been a quiet funeral for both her husband and youngest son.

 

Andromeda's mother, Druella Rosier Black, had been quiet, but not a very affectionate person.  Her father, Cygnus, had been a lot like Sirius - bold, brash and aggressive - but even he couldn't stand up to his sister, Walburga.  He'd been fond of all his daughters but especially her.

 

When she'd eloped with Ted and was disowned, her mother took to her bed and never left it. Narcissa slipped her a note in the common room one day after her return informing her that their mother was dead.  She'd left immediately and found Ted. It was the first time he'd ever seen her cry.

 

They'd returned from their elopement to find Slytherin enraged.  Dumbledore had refused them an apartment despite being Bonded, stripped her of her title as Head Girl and told them to go back to their respective dorms.  Bonded couples were supposed to be roomed together and yet Dumbledore refused to sanction their Bonding. He called them irresponsible and told her that she should have been more aware of her position.  Since then she'd never trusted him.

 

Charity broke the silence and interrupted her thoughts. "Who is Tom Riddle?"

Andromeda shrugged.  "No idea but I doubt he'll be a problem.  We'll just pretend we don't know anything.  I'd like to ask you to forget what you just saw."

 

Charity's widened with realization.  "It's really Bella who is pregnant, isn't, not you?"

 

"Salazar's Cauldron," Andromeda swore. "You're too smart by half." She'd hoped Charity wouldn't make that connection.  After all, there was no child besides Nymphadora listed between her and Ted.  It really was a wonder Charity hadn't noticed prior.

 

Charity shrugged.  "I won't tell if you don't that Ginny's son isn't mine.  James is going to be mine and that's that."

 

Andromeda smiled; she knew she'd liked Charity. "You're a much stronger woman than I gave you credit for."

 

Charity smirked. "You have to be to fend off suitors when you're in love with a twit like Sirius." Her face fell. "I still can't believe he's gone."

 

Andromeda was worried. "You're not going to dislike Rigel because of his mother, are you?"

 

Charity gave her an incredulous look. "Like I could hate an innocent child because of something like that. That would be like hating James because of his birth mother. I'm not that sort of woman!  I am a Hufflepuff, remember?"

 

Andromeda held up her hands in a gesture of surrender. "Just checking. I was testing you to see if I had to Obliviate the memory of Rigel's parentage."

 

Charity glared at her. "If you Obliviated me, I would never forgive you. We're going to pretend that this conversation never happened. James is my son and Rigel yours. You can tell Harry that I'll happily take Ginny's child.  I'm sure since she's partially Charlie's ward that he'll be glad of the news. For the child's sake, I would prefer if Ginny was never told about the child. If it were possible I'd have the infant transferred to me but I don't suspect that would be wise given the difference in conception dates. I would like to know how someone would have got hold of my Bondmate's seed. They should be charged with line theft."

 

Andromeda nodded. "I'll be sure to ask Arthur to look into it. Despite his break with Molly and disownment of Ron and Ginny, he will have to be told."

 

Charity shrugged. "As long as he doesn't try to claim James, I don't really care. What's Sirius' is mine and that's how it's going to stay."

 

Andromeda gave her a smile. "You're a better woman than Sirius deserved. I am glad he finally realised that."

 

Charity smiled sadly. "He was a far better man than he gave himself credit for.  I just wish he'd made up with Remus and Harry before he died."

 

Andromeda nodded. "I wish so as well."  She said goodbye and left Charity with her own thoughts.  She'd visit Charlie at Eagle's Nest and let him know about Ginevra's pregnancy.

 

XoooooX

 

When Narcissa finally tracked down Hermione, the girl was singing along with the Weird Sisters on the Wizarding Wireless. However, singing was not one of the girl's talents. Hermione was badly off-key; she needed lessons if she was going to sing.  Narcissa knocked on the door loudly to give her notice, then swept into the room.

 

Hermione jumped and knocked the wireless off the table.  Narcissa chuckled, as she used her wand to levitate the wireless back on the table. "Next time you want to sing, Hermione, let me give you a few lessons."

 

Hermione blushed. "Am I that bad?"

 

Narcissa grinned at her. "Let's just say, you'll never be Celestina Warbeck. I thought we could discuss your Bonding."

 

Hermione toyed with her ring, twisting it around her finger. "It's all happening so fast. I wanted to save myself.  Viktor is so much older and I was afraid." Her eyes filled with tears. "I don't even remember…"

 

Narcissa waved a hand. "It's quite all right. Viktor will be sure to make it up to you during your honeymoon. Viktor said that he shall be paying for all the expenses for your Bonding, but Lucius and I are paying for your honeymoon."

 

Hermione opened her mouth to protest.

 

Narcissa held up a hand. "No arguing, child. I look on you as a daughter even though you're close to Blaise's age.  It's our gift." She smirked knowingly. "I'll be sure we pick out a couple of flattering bikinis. I've got my heart set on Fiji for you. Viktor should count himself a lucky man. We've discussed having your Bonding on your birthday. Is that still what you want?"

 

Hermione nodded, her face pink at the idea of bikinis.

 

"We've got to discuss colours, flowers, food.  Most men have no idea how difficult planning a Bonding is.  I've had practice because I've assisted with Nymphadora, Blaise and Draco's ceremonies.  Nymphadora spent the whole time arguing with us and threatening to elope **,** while Draco was more concerned about Harry.  Blaise, on the other hand, was too absorbed in his mating and his eggs to pay much attention. I am hoping for a more congenial planning with you."

 

Hermione smiled at her. "You've been so kind to me.  Almost like a second mother."

 

Narcissa's eyes watered. "I said I see you as a daughter and I am more than happy to help you.  I hope that Carina grows up to be a smart, talented and beautiful young woman just as you are."

 

Hermione chuckled, "With parents as good looking and intelligent as you and Lucius, I don't see why she wouldn't."  She smirked suddenly.  "I have an idea.  I think that Viktor is highly uncomfortable in dress robes. I think he would prefer to be Bonded in his Quidditch kit."

 

Narcissa grinned. "Why not have all the gentlemen attend in Quidditch robes? It's been years since I've seen Lucius in one."

 

Hermione blinked. "He played?"

 

"He was a Chaser for our House. I think he was the one who recruited Regulus. It was his last year. Regulus was rather quiet and shy. Sirius was pretty ruthless and gunned for him during matches but Regulus took to the air like a bird.  Regulus could have gone pro if he had lived to graduate, but I don't think I've seen anyone better at Seeker than your Viktor."

 

Hermione bit her lip when the former Slytherin called Viktor 'hers' but then was distracted. "Who was Regulus?"

 

"Sirius' younger brother.  He was a year behind us. He was more bookish and shy compared to his more social and popular brother.  Regulus had a lot in common with Severus but they never mingled. I once thought of trying to play matchmaker but I decided that it was probably not wise. Severus seemed likely to hex me for it; he's done far better by choosing Remus. They are both highly intelligent and they balance each other. Severus is more open and he spends less time buried in his lab.  I was worried for him, he deserved better than to be a hated professor. He should never have gone into teaching.  It's not his passion, not like Remus; that man enjoys it. Severus prefers his lab and solitude as opposed to being social or dealing with people who aren't passionate about his interests."

 

Hermione nodded. "I remember. He was insulted all the time by the students. Even the ones who did well in Potions hated him. I don't think Percy liked him at first.  Severus is actually very nice once you get past his gruff exterior. For a while, I didn't think Remus had a chance.  I thought that Severus was going to push him away. For such a brilliant wizard, he has no self-confidence at times and lousy manners."

 

Narcissa sighed.  "He had a home life like Harry's.  He didn't know how to interact with people. Lucius looked out for him from the beginning.  His only friend for the longest time was Lily. They were nigh inseparable. Many thought they'd make a match of it, yet I wasn't so sure.  I'd suspected he was bent for a long time.  When guys start checking you out, you notice the ones who don't. I was always considered rather good-looking." She preened. "Because of that stupid glamour, everyone thought he was ugly. I noticed that when he was with Lily, he relaxed; he smiled and even laughed. He wasn't like that around our Housemates. He was sullen, rude and unsocial.  Bella especially had it out for him.  She and her little clique would bully him and any Muggleborn they ran into.  Though James was worse than Bella in some ways.  He was often out to humiliate Severus.  He did it for fun but some people didn't think it was fun."

 

"You didn't," Hermione said softly.

 

"No, I didn't," Narcissa admitted.  "I thought that it sometimes got out of line.  Poor Mary McDonald was badly hexed by one of Bella's pets. It took her some time to recover.  We all knew who did it but he was never really punished.  No one told, because Slytherins don't rat on other Slytherins and the others were scared of Bella.  Bullying was overlooked then.  Not like now; Ron got in trouble for bullying and so did Theo - rightfully so.  I don't agree with what Lucius did to Theo but I understand why he felt he had to.  I'd defend his choice if asked but I don't agree with it.  Fredrick Nott was a mean man.  He was older and no one could prove he was a Death Eater.  He raised Theo to be just like him.  It's no wonder that Theo ended up like he did.  I pity Theo because he never had any good role models.  I knew that Blaise would end up with a wizard but I never expected anyone like Charlie. I'm happy for him. I didn't expect to get someone as adorable as Harry for a son-in-law either.  I count myself lucky.  I also am gaining you and Viktor as well as your little one."

 

Hermione touched her stomach. "I am still nervous about being a mum so early but I do want this child. Harry and Blaise are taking to being parents better than I would have guessed. To be honest, I was rather envious."

 

"It is a bit too bad that your child won't be in the same year as Harry's but they will be with my son. As well as Andromeda's and Charity's.  We'll be a big family but I think everything will be fine.  We're strong and we'll handle anything.  We'll have to get my friend to do your hair for the wedding.  He would be quite put out if I didn't ask him."

 

Hermione grinned. "I liked him. He made me look really pretty for my first date with Viktor. I was so nervous but I knew I looked pretty enough to be with Viktor. I didn't understand why an eighteen-year-old Quidditch god would be interested in me. I was the dull, frumpy bookworm."

 

"Stop that," Narcissa said sternly. "You are not going to insult yourself in my presence, I've had to deal with enough of that with Severus.  You're too smart and too much of a lovely person to do that to yourself. I don't care if you had to deal with others saying things like that, but that's no reason to do that to yourself."

 

Chastised and embarrassed, Hermione nodded.

 

"Now we'll talk about colours."

 

 

XoooooX

 

 

When Andromeda flooed into Eagle's Nest, she was greeted with the sight of Blaise playing with Perseus and Athena.  Alethea and Taurus were sleeping in their bassinets nearby.  Charlie was nowhere to be seen.

 

Blaise looked up. "Hi, Aunt Andromeda. How can I help you?"

 

Andromeda smiled. "Who says I need help?  Can't I visit my favourite nephew?

 

Blaise sniggered, "Me? Favourite nephew? Hah!  We all know that's Harry.  Spill.  Besides, I know you're taking care of Ginny.  Charlie and I have no secrets."

 

"That's the way a Bonded couple should be," Andromeda said, perching on a nearby wing-backed chair.

 

"Don't change the subject," Blaise sniffed as he continued to blow raspberries on Athena's and Perseus' stomachs and tickle their sides.

 

"I was hoping to find Charlie. Is he home?"

 

Blaise shook his head. "He's at practice.  He should be home around four. They had an early practice. The team were planning a late lunch after practice ended at two; Charlie and Fred go out for a little while and then come home. Fred says business is booming; since WWW became a sponsor of the Cannons their business has tripled. There are discounts for members of the Chudley Cannons fan club as well as the certificates that are sprayed on the crowd after a win. For a guy with two babies at home, Fred has a lot of admirers." Then again, not many knew that he was Clarissa and Gawain's father.

 

Andromeda smirked.  "As if Charlie doesn't have any."

 

Blaise sneered. "He's mine and he knows it. He brings me every snitch and kisses me madly in front of the entire stadium. The only time I miss is if one of our babies is sick. I love watching him fly. He is really good… if I didn't have four babies to take care of, I would love to fly as a Chaser, like Adrian."

 

Adrian had been signed to the Appleby Arrows the summer following his graduation from Hogwarts.

 

Charlie and Fred flew for the Chudley Cannons while Oliver flew for Puddlemere United and Viktor of course still flew for the Vratsa Vultures and the Bulgarian National team. Angelina and Alicia had been signed to the Holyhead Harpies following Graduation and had become crowd favourites. While they were considered rookies and second string Chasers, they did seem to play nearly every other match. It was Katie's Seventh Year, so she was the only remaining member of the Gryffindor Golden Trio.  With Draco and Adrian both graduated as well, Slytherin had lost not only their best Seeker since Regulus Black, but also their three primary Seekers. The further loss of Draco as their captain might hinder their chances at winning the Quidditch Cup.

 

To Blaise's knowledge, he hadn't seen such talent pass through the team so quickly. The new captains would have a hard time rebuilding a team.

 

If the new Slytherin team captain were smart, they'd keep Mafalda and Millicent around. While no Weasleys, they did give Anthony Rickett and Max O’Flaherty, Hufflepuff's Beaters **,** a run for their money. Although to be fair, the two Slytherin witches were the only strong Beater duo left since Fred, George, Tony and Max had already graduated. They'd slaughtered the Ravenclaw team due to their merciless playing style.  Well, they had done before the team was suspended for the year.

 

The rivalry between Mafalda Prewett and Faye Dunbar was legendary, almost as much as the one on the pitch between Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter. The only difference was that while Harry and Draco were leagues apart in skill, Mafalda and Faye were equals. Rumour had it that they were as talented if not more so than former Captain and Manager of the Holyhead Harpies, and now current Head of Magical Games, Gwenog Jones. If those two ever played together like Fred and George, probably for the Harpies, then the Weasley twins might have actual competition. The British Quidditch finals between the Harpies and the Cannons would be one hell of a match.

 

That is, if George ever chose to join Fred on the field.  Blaise wasn't sure he would, at least not anytime soon, although he thought that George might join Fred in a year or so and plug more business before retiring to his lab for good.

 

Andromeda gave Perseus and Athena an appraising look. "I'm in no hurry. Why don't I give them their check-up?"

 

Blaise kissed Athena. "'Thena, go see Aunt Annie."

 

Athena was a bit slow on her feet and wobbly; but if she wasn't being carried, she preferred to walk.  Perseus was more of a crawler; if he wanted to go somewhere he crawled. He crawled faster than Athena walked.

 

After examining the four infants, Andromeda gave Blaise an exam as well. He'd suffered a lot in the last couple of months. Bella had attacked the Manor while his children were there, then he lost a child and now thanks to Ronald, Blaise could never bear another child. Besides his possession of one ovary, Blaise also possessed one teste, which would allow him to sire a child.

 

That is, if Charlie agreed to carry it.

 

What sort of person would be cruel enough to do such a horrendous act? To rip a womb from someone, shred it and burn the pieces? Ronald Bilius, formerly of the House of Weasley, that's who.

 

"Discover anything?" Blaise said with his back to her.  "I told you, I don't like anyone other than Mother or Uncle Sev treating me. Did you think I wouldn't feel the spells? I may not know the spells you used by name but I know what they feel like when cast,"  

 

Andromeda sighed, "I was just fulfilling some curiosity. I've never treated a Veela before you and Fleur. I merely wished to observe the differences. Emotionally, Fleur is still quite fragile. Bill insists she see Ted, I try not to question him about her condition. I can't discuss it with you but I wish to ask. How are you dealing with this? You've suffered so much since March. First the death of your son, and now - "

 

"The loss of my womb? Is that what you mean?" Blaise put his hand over his stomach, "I feel like less than a man… a person who can no longer bring life into the world. I am merely a - "

 

"Stop," Andromeda interrupted.  She regarded him sternly.  "You think you are less of a person? You lost one child. I lost two. My husband still loves me, just as yours does. He was willing to stand by me, to accept that I could not give him any more children. Now due to my skills, I can. I have. He will be given a son. You have done what I could not; you gave him two sons and two daughters. So what if your childbearing days are over sooner than most?  So what if it was because of cruelty?  Life is cruel but it can also be wonderful.  Incomplete or not, Charlie still loves you. You are still the same person he fell in love with, you have four children who need their fathers. They don't care if you feel that way. They don't understand. They merely exist to love you and be loved by you. I may not agree with everything Nymphadora has done but that isn't the point. She's my daughter and, until now, my only child. She would protect me as surely as I would protect her. She would stand by her children the same as I would. You should raise your children the same."

 

Blaise lowered his head; "You are right."  He pulled Perseus into his lap and held him close. "They are precious to me… so precious. I have and will fight to protect them. I want a world where they don't have to live in fear. It's for them that I have done as Draco asked. I see things that no one, seer or no, should have to. I have watched a boy grow into a monster. I've seen him kill without remorse. I've watched him kill children and adults. Why did he grow up to be like that?"

 

Andromeda shrugged and sighed, "Who knows? Some people are born with good hearts and are innocent as babes in their souls. Others seem to be born cruel and take pleasure in harming others. Existence is about balance. If one of those must exist to balance the other, then it is so. That is life; it's not perfect.  It just is.  Harry must have suffered so much and yet his soul is still pure. He cannot hate; hatred is something that poisons the soul.  To forgive is the hardest test of one's soul. You've suffered so much already.  You've had to do something no parent should have to: bury a child. You can hate them and let it destroy you, or you can forgive and learn to live with your pain and loss."

 

The floo flickered into life.

 

"The choice is yours, Blaise. The hate will poison you and everything around you. If that happens, then Ronald wins.  Don't let him win.  Forgive him and move on.  Not all is lost," Andromeda said, lightly touching his shoulder. "You cannot bear anymore, but siring is still an option…"

 

Blaise blinked at her; the gentle words were like balm on a wound. They soothed the ache inside. They were cruel but kind in a way.

 

Charlie stepped through the floo and tossed his Quidditch robe flicking his wand at it. The robe crumbled into ash.

 

Blaise's nose twitched.  Charlie reeked of perfume…

 

Charlie saw him and smiled. "I know you can smell that horrible scent.  I told her I was Bonded. That I have children at home. The girl simply wouldn't listen. Fred finally tossed her out, but not before she'd literally thrown herself against me a time or two. Idiot. What could she give me that you can't? I can't turn away from the person I love. I choose you, you choose me, and we're a family." Charlie knelt beside Blaise and kissed him. "Flying is only worth it if I have you to come home to."

 

Blaise shook with silent sobs, and Andromeda turned her head to give them a semblance of privacy. 

 

It wasn't hard to tell that the lust potion-induced orgy was the first time Fleur and Blaise had been intimate with their mates after what Ronald had done to them. It proved to both Veela that they were still desirable. Not because they'd had sex; after all, they'd all been acting under the influence of that thrice-bedamned lust potion - may Dumbledore rot in hell for that! - and were hardly in control of their actions. (Andromeda of course had no proof of the former Headmaster’s involvement but she had her suspicions; after all, it seemed like the sort of nasty, underhanded, hurtful thing that man would do.) No, it was what happened after the potion's effects wore off.  Their mates stayed with them, held them, comforted them and then proved they would do anything for them. They couldn't reverse the damage from Ron's curse - no one could -  but they were willing to turn on their own brother for their mates. 

 

For such a strong man, Charlie had a weakness: the love for his Bonded and their children. While most wouldn't see it as such, Charlie did. He couldn't stand to cause Blaise any more sorrow.  Nor would he keep secrets from him.  Most men who had a Bondmate who had suffered as much as Blaise might not admit that someone, a girl at that, had hit on them.  Charlie told Blaise the truth but also told him that he was all he wanted. That no one could give him more than Blaise had.

 

Andromeda was wise enough to know that was true.  Blaise had to be strong, not only for his family but also for himself.

 

When Blaise's silent sobs ended, Charlie hugged him and dried his tears before noticing Andromeda.  "Oh, Andromeda.  Sorry, I didn't see you there," he apologized.

 

Andromeda smiled at him and made a dismissive gesture. "I came to give you an update on Ginevra."

 

Charlie nodded, his eyes blank. "I see."

 

Blaise said quietly, "I'm sorry…I'll try harder.  I love you…I love our children."

 

Charlie shook his head. "You don't need to be sorry. I'm supposed to protect you. I know you can protect yourself but as your mate, it's my duty.  My brother hurt you; he stole something from the both of us.  It's been hard but I've decided I have to forgive him.  I could give myself excuses for why he turned out the way he did, but he should have known better.  I just want to forget he existed.  It will be hard but we have each other and the children.  They need us.  I think we both should start seeing a Mind Healer, maybe Ted. I want us both to be okay."

 

He rocked Blaise and then turned his attention back to Andromeda. "You wanted to speak about Ginevra?"

 

She nodded. "There has been no change in her mental state.  Whatever it was that Hermione did to her, we haven't discovered how to reverse it. She's still locked in her own head from what Ted and I can ascertain. I thought since she is essentially your ward due to your covering her healing expenses, that you might want to be made aware that she has been technically raped. She is two months pregnant."

 

"What do you mean by 'technically'?" Charlie asked, frowning. "Either she was or she wasn't."

 

Andromeda sighed. "She is pregnant but the sire of her child had nothing to do with it.  I had permission from Amelia to use a restricted spell.  With it, I discovered the sire's identity and realized he could have had no part in the conception.  The seed was cast into her womb but she's not had penetrative sex because her hymen is still intact.  Due to this, the child is legally considered the sire's property.  I brought notice of the child's existence to the Head of the sire’s family, which is Harry.  We discussed it and he decided to grant a bondmate's rights to the sire's widow."

 

Blaise yelped, figuring it out first. "It's _Sirius'_ child?"  His outburst woke Alethea and Taurus.  Sighing, Blaise got up to comfort them.

 

Charlie was stunned. "How in the world did Ginny end up pregnant by Sirius?"

 

Andromeda shrugged, "I have no idea. Sirius may have played around with his students before he was Bonded but he was faithful to Charity, of that I am sure of since I made it part of their Bonding Contact that he signed, though under duress I am ashamed to say.  He was very attentive to her after she found out she was pregnant.  Charity has agreed to take the boy in.  She wants to blood adopt him and raise him as her daughter's twin.  It is her right, you are Ginny's guardian only reluctantly, and I think with four infants already, taking in another would overtax you."

 

"I want it looked into," Charlie told her, his face grim.  "I may not like Ginny, especially after what she tried to do to Harry.  I wasn't happy about her attack on Coraline either. But when dad disowned her and grandfather cast her from his House, I unwillingly took charge of her because she was unconscious and in no shape to fend for herself.  I don't like her any more than I like Ron, but rape of an unconscious witch is unpardonable. I may not have approved of Sirius either, but he didn't deserve to be framed for rape.  I feel for Charity.  I never had her as a professor but Percy seemed to think she was all right."

 

"Charity doesn't want Sirius' name besmirched because of this and she'd prefer if Ginevra was never informed of the pregnancy.  Her words were 'what's Sirius' is mine. That's my son. Sirius wanted to call his son James after Harry's father. I can only hope that he grows up to be a better person than the men he's named for.'"

 

At Charlie's questioning look, she added, "He's to be called James Sirius."

 

"I didn't see him in my vision," Blaise said quietly as he changed Taurus' nappy.  "When I knew Charity been attacked I was worried about her.  I had a vision that she'd survive and I saw her having tea with Dora.  Dora's son was running around with Charity's daughter.  I don't know why I didn't see a son."

 

Andromeda gave a little shrug. "He was only somewhere around a week past conception, and any pregnancy has a greater chance of being spontaneously aborted that early on, especially with the bearer being so young.  Ginny could have miscarried at any point.  I'm still stunned and furious that this situation could happen at all.  All Healers and Medi-witches and -wizards take a Magical Oath not to take advantage of the patients in their care.  To do so would mean not only huge fines and probably imprisonment, but also the loss of their magic, so I'm fairly confident that none of the St. Mungo's staff were involved, at least not directly.  The rape was most likely carried out by a visitor to the Janus Thickey ward.  There are protective spells in place to prevent harm to the inmates, but I imagine a determined and powerful witch or wizard would have no problem overcoming those."

 

"Dumbledore," Charlie said grimly.

 

Andromeda shrugged again. "He's the one who springs to mind, of course.  I suggest we ask your father to investigate Ginevra's rape, but I think you'll agree it must be done quietly.  I don't believe either of us wants to tarnish her name or Sirius' memory any more than they already are."

 

"It would be unlucky for either of them for this to get out.  Perhaps Dora could look into it?" Charlie suggested as he pulled a squirming Perseus into his lap and tickled him.

 

"I think the request would be best coming from you.  After all, Ginevra is your ward."

 

"I'll ask Father," Charlie acquiesced.  "I just wish I didn't have to."

 

"At least you don't have to take the child in," Andromeda reminded him.

 

"Perhaps, that is a blessing."

 

Andromeda decided she should leave and Charlie escorted her back to the floo.

 

"Thank you for informing me of Ginny's condition."

 

Andromeda shook her head.  "I am a Healer and I was asked to treat her. You are her guardian since her mother has proven unfit."

 

Charlie winced. "I know that is the truth but it is still painful to hear."

 

Andromeda sighed, "Sadly, the truth often goes hand in hand with pain."  She stepped into the floo, leaving the young couple alone.

 

 

XoooooX

 

 

Molly was home alone.  Ever since Ron was arrested and Ginny was hospitalised, she'd been alone.  She was barely allowed to see her own daughter and Ron had been sentenced to be Kissed. The date had been set; it was only nine days away.  How did one prepare for that?  Nine days until her youngest son would be dead…

 

Ginny was at St. Mungo's but they claimed to able to do nothing for her.  Thankfully, Charlie had stepped in and taken Ginny in as a ward after Septimus cast them out; otherwise, Molly didn't know what would have happened to her.  She still had the Burrow to live in and Merlin knew they'd never had much money, so she was accustomed to making each Galleon, Knut, and Sickle stretch as far as they would go.  And of course, there were fish in their lake and vegetables in their garden, not to mention chickens for eggs and the occasional stew.  No, it was just that she didn't see how she could have paid for Ginny's healing expenses and still have time for everything that needed doing.  

Though she'd never made much of an attempt to mend things with her older sons, she hadn't really thought that Arthur would ever do this. They had been divorced as long as Ron had been sentenced to the Dementor's Kiss.  She had no family; her sons had cast her off.  Her husband had done the same; he'd forgotten her...

 

Her heart twisted, thinking about how comfortable he had been at the Bonding of her nephew.  Arthur and Gideon's former so-called fiancé Caradoc Dearborn had been far too close and affectionate.  Arthur was leaving her for another man.

 

She'd thought everything was just fine.

 

Until Charlie got enamoured with Lucius Malfoy's ward and then Bill ended up in the clutches of another Veela.  Percy insisted on Bonding to that Quidditch-mad Oliver and then George was discovered pregnant by some unknown person.  No one seemed to care about that, it was just swept under the rug.

 

She couldn't believe that her sons had been so foolish as to get pregnant (George and Percy) or sire children unbonded (Charlie and Bill).  Molly hadn't raised them to be like that.  She also hadn't raised them to think Bonding to wizards was seemly.  It was unnatural - wasn't it?  Yet, at least three of her six sons were clearly bent.

 

Fred claimed to be but he wasn't seeing anyone right now… not that she could tell.  All she knew about him was what the papers said.  He and Charlie had helped break a hundred-year losing streak for the Cannons.  Fred was portrayed as a doting uncle and uninterested in relationships.  He'd named George's illegitimate son his heir.  That should be illegal.. Why hadn't Fred turned his back on George?  Raising his twin's illegitimate children was beyond what anyone should have to do.

 

It was all Potter's fault; ever since he'd refused Ron's friendship, their family had fallen apart.

 

She'd been a good mother.  This shouldn't be happening.  Ginny was all she had left.  If anything happened to her daughter,, Molly wouldn't know how to go on.

 

Arthur was completely abandoning her, just like her sons.

 

Why?

 

 

XoooooX

 

 

Harry woke from a nap to hear Artemis whimpering softly; he'd dozed off, studying.  Draco wasn't around so he was either studying himself or at Malfoy Manor.  He was always over there, closeted with Hermione or papa.

 

Draco was up to something.  He knew it but he wasn't willing to press the issue.  He trusted Draco; he loved him; but a tiny part of him didn't think he deserved anything he had.

 

He still saw his Mind Healer, but he felt that a part of him was damaged.  As good as his life was, he still felt he wasn't good enough. That he was an embarrassment.  His papa had been so upset when he'd found out he was pregnant and the pregnancy was progressing faster than 'normal'.

 

He loved Artemis and Triton, and he worshiped Draco.  Harry knew that he was happy but a small part didn't believe that he deserved them.

 

He knew those thoughts were wrong but he couldn't help them.  Harry may seem alright and that he'd put the Dursleys behind him but he still bore the scars. He probably always would…yet he wished he could forget.

 

It would be nice to forget that part of his life but it hadn't happened yet.  He wanted to be happy and he tried. He loved Draco, their children and his sister. He was fond of his sister, her fiancé, and Colin.

 

He was close to his friends; they were almost like siblings.

 

He wished that they'd caught the Dark Lord so this stupid war would be over and that dumbledore would die of some complication due to his age.

 

Harry just wanted to focus on his and Draco's future along with raising their children. He hoped that Artemis and Triton would be a lot older before he was pregnant again. He pitied Blaise and Fleur for have children so close together.

 

Two was hard enough, but four or five?  He'd go nuts!

 

Harry finished changing Artemis' nappy and redressing her.  Then he curled up, offering her his breast.  He'd read while he was pregnant that wizards could breastfeed as well, they just didn't produce as much as a witch.  He preferred to feed his children naturally; it allowed him to bond with them and offer them some of his immunity to diseases so they were stronger.

 

He kissed Artemis' soft strawberry-blonde hair; she clearly resembled Cora and Narcissa. He'd done the right thing giving them Draco's name.

 

Artemis and Triton were clearly Malfoys.

 

 

 

 

  
 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?
> 
> Also, don't hate me for the cliffy. The chapter is very long already. I wanted to hear your thoughts dear readers.
> 
> Bella's son- is it Voldy's or Rabastan's?
> 
> Did Bella choose not to try for a child during her first marriage because she was in love with Voldy? Was it because one of them [Rodolphus] was infertile?
> 
> Or like some Blacks was she not fertile until she was older?
> 
> The name that is on the Tapestry has been decided already; however, I'm still undecided who the father is. Either way it will become Ted- that would give Bella a heart attack. Hearing that her son will be blood adopted and raised by her bloodtraitor sister and Muggleborn brother-in-law.
> 
> BTW- This chapter has now been Betaed, thank you BAFan!


	16. Endings, beginnings and continuations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, BAFan for your time and patience in Betaing this chapter. It is so much better and I hope you are feeling better soon.

Title: The Truth Behind the Name and the Lies pt. 6

Pairing: DracoxHarry, OliverxPercy, twincest? Etc.

Fandom: HP

Notes: An abused boy finds out he's a wizard and a hero; his tormented mind rebels. One person sees through the misconceptions to the real Harry and treats him the way he deserves. How does this change them both and those around them?

 

* * *

  
 

**Chapter 16 – Endings, Beginnings, and Continuations**

 

**Ron Gets Kissed**

 

30 August 1996

 

Normally when a prisoner was Kissed there was someone viewing: the family of the condemned, or a relative of a victim, or someone who refused to believe that the sentenced person was guilty of a crime that merited being subjected to the Dementor’s Kiss. None of Ronald Nameless' siblings came.  His brothers had cut him off and his sister was in the Janus Thickey Ward at St. Mungo's.  His father was too busy running the Auror Department - tracking down Dumbledore was a high priority.  The Goblins also wanted him; the Council of Magical Law and the Goblin Court had tried him _in absentia,_ finding him guilty of all charges.  Whoever found him first got to keep him…

 

There were only two persons in the viewing box: Molly Nameless and Auror Dora Tremlett.

 

Dora was the Auror representative; all Dementor Kisses had to be overseen by an Auror.  Since she was still on desk duty due to her pregnancy, this was a minor task. The viewing box was specifically warded against Dementors and Dora knew how to cast a Patronus charm.  She would not jeopardize her son's life, which was the only reason she'd agreed to desk duty. (Not that she'd really had a choice since the Head Auror had forbidden her to be in the field.)She would be allowed to floo back to the Ministry from the Warden's office. Normally, that floo was only opened for emergencies but at the Head Auror's request, it had been opened for today. Normally the prison was reached by boat after Apparating to a location relatively nearby. A pregnant person was not to Apparate or fly- it was an official Directive from Birth Healers to prevent injury to the foetus as well as miscarriage.

 

Dora came mostly because she wanted to sneakily interview Molly about Ginny's pregnancy without informing her of its existence.

 

Molly sobbed into her handkerchief.

 

The door opened and Ronald was led in, bound with iron shackles to contain his magic. Through the one-way glass, Molly and Dora watched as the Azkaban guard strapped him into a chair.  "Do you have anything to say before the Dementor comes?"

 

Ron scowled. "I wish all the ill-luck in the world on Potter's head."

 

Dora growled. Trust that prat to be bloody-minded to the end!

 

"So be it."  The guard stepped out. A door opened, well, a section of wall moved revealing a dark chamber.  A Dementor glided into the room, its black, shroud-like robes rippling in the breeze of its movement.  It paused for a second, the great hooded head turning unerringly in the direction of the chair where Ron sat shackled, then it moved towards him.

 

Molly made a horrible sound, halfway between a moan and a shriek, that thankfully was muffled by her handkerchief. Even though Dora had witnessed the Dementor’s Kiss before, she had to force herself not to react.Ron paled and held himself stiffly.  Dora saw his throat move as he swallowed hard.  The teen's eyes were wide with fear but only a weak whimper fell from his lips before the Dementor was on him. The grey hands grasped the boy's head with its long talons and a moment later the terrible face descended, its mouth fastening on Ron's with a horrible rattling sound.  An involuntary jerking of his arms and legs was the only movement the teen made before his body stilled and then gradually slumped in the chair.

 

It never took long for the body to shut down after the sucking out of a soul.  A soul was connected to the life force, after all.

 

Molly kept crying.

 

The curtains on the window closed. Because Molly couldn't afford a funeral and not one member of Ron's blood family would cover it, Ron would be buried here in the inmates' graveyard.

 

Dora stood up and stretched. Her back ached.

 

"Arthur wouldn't even come?  Was he too cowardly?" Molly hiccupped.

 

Dora refrained from rolling her eyes only by great effort. "He's been receiving threats which we believe are from Dumbledore." This was the lie she'd decided on.

 

Molly stiffened. "Against himself?"

 

Dora shook her head. "No. Against his children and his beloved grandchildren, and he's focusing on that. Kingsley told him to hand the case to another Auror but he's being stubborn." A lie, but how could she know?

 

"What do you mean?" Molly gasped.  "What kinds of threats?"

 

"Infecting the babies with Dragon Pox, poisoning Ginny and threatening to break Ron out of Azkaban. Jinxing your sons' brooms so they either die or are gravely injured during a match."

 

Molly sucked in a breath, her face white with horror. "No!"

 

"The times you’ve visited your daughter, have you noticed anyone who seemed out of place?"

 

Molly shook her head. "I've been out of my head with worry between Ron here - " A sob shook her, "- and Ginny at St. Mungos’."

 

 _Damn,_ Dora grumbled to herself.  That's why parents made poor witnesses.

 

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Maybe if she helped, Arthur wouldn't leave her.

 

"No," Dora told her quickly, "just keep an eye out for anyone acting strange near Ginny."

 

Molly let out a hysterical laugh. "She's in the Janus Thickey Ward; everyone there acts strangely!"

 

Dora swore to herself. "Not patients, Molly."

 

"I don't know anything.  My son is dead, I've been cast off and my daughter is in a magical coma. I have nothing!  Nothing!"

 

"Good day, Molly!" Dora left the weeping woman; she had no interest in her aside from being the arresting Auror in Ronald's case.

 

XoooooX

 

Since a large portion of the family would be riding the train back to Hogwarts, namely Coraline, Dennis, Seamus, Colin, and Neville, they decided to celebrate Clarissa and Gawain's birthday a day early.Arthur left the Auror Department early, leaving Mad-eye in charge as his deputy.

 

The party was being held at Weasley Hall.  A parlour had been cleared and decorated with unicorns and dragons.  There was a large pile of gifts from their cousins and grandparents.  Clarissa was wearing a lovely green dress while her brother Gawain was dressed in blue.  All their cousins were present, so it was like walking into a nursery.

 

George had Clarissa in his lap and Fred had Gawain.  Dennis and Colin brought theIr gifts to them and the twins helped their children tear the paper.  Gifts include toy brooms, storybooks, clothes, toy keys and shapes to chew on, and many other toys, as well as new knitwear from Hermione and Coraline.  The cake was decorated with brooms and Quidditch balls, and the writing on the white icing was done in orange, the Chudley Cannon colours.

 

The kids ran or crawled all over one another until they collapsed in a heap.

 

XoooooX

 

**The Slug Club**

 

1st September 1996

 

Coraline, Luna, Dennis, Colin, Seamus and Neville left their compartment but not before Coraline warded it, just in case. Together they made their way towards the Professors' Carriage.  Normally it was not attached to the Hogwarts Express, but it was this year.  Inside it was decorated for a party in silvery blue, spring green and golden yellow. The dishes were silver and the goblets crystal. The platters were filled with steaming food or chilled fruit and salads.

 

They recognized people like Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw Seeker; the Patil twins, who were the daughters of the Ambassador from the Joint Ministry of India and Pakistan; and the Honourable Marcus Belby, whose father was the current Lord Belby since his uncle Damocles had been disowned for mating to a werewolf.  There were others like Katie Bell, who had been the Quidditch Captain for Gryffindor last year and had been previously invited to one of Draco's Yule Parties.

 

"Welcome! Welcome!" A man so portly he could not possibly see his feet sat lounging in a poufy green armchair with his feet elevated.

 

Coraline wondered if he had a tendency to gout.

 

"My name is Horace Slughorn. Professor - I mean Headmaster – Prince asked me to come out of retirement to teach Potions until he found someone to replace me. I taught a majority of your parents and it will be a pleasure to teach you all. I have had many talented students in my classes, whom I have helped along the way to greatness.  I have high hopes for you.  In case you don't know each other, I would like you to introduce yourself.  If you would be so kind, Mr Longbottom?"

 

Neville gave them all a smile and summoned all his courage, thinking about Adrian. "My name is Prefect Neville Longbottom. I am engaged to former Head Boy and Captain of Slytherin Adrian Pucey, who is heir to his father's Wizengamot seat and recently signed to the Appleby Arrows.  My parents are former Aurors who were injured in the field. My father passed recently and my mother seems to be recovering after a long illness caused by her injuries.  I am recently named Gryffindor's Quidditch Captain and I have been a prefect for a year."

 

Seamus squeezed Colin's hand and spoke next. "My name is Seamus O'Shanesey, although most of you probably know me as Seamus Finnegan.  I am recently Bonded to Colin, the elder son of Gideon Prewett, and have been named my grandfather's heir to his Wizengamot seat.  I excel at Charms and Transfiguration, but I'm a bit of a pyro." He smirked.

 

Colin spoke up. "My name is Prefect Colin Prew... O'Shanesey."  He flushed, embarrassed.  "I'm a photographer and I hope to do it professionally."

 

Dennis knew his brother was done; he smirked, blowing a kiss to Coraline. "My name is Dennis Prewett.  I fly for Gryffindor as their Seeker.  With Harry graduated, I might have a chance at winning against Slytherin."

 

The young twin girls they didn't recognise who were Slytherins and most likely Third or Second Years sniffed at him in disdain. Coraline just chuckled at his blatant show of affection. "I am Prefect Coraline Potter, Harry's sister.  I was transferred as a foetus to Demeter Lovegood following my blood mother's murder and was raised as heiress to the Lovegood family.  I am the named Potter and Lovegood heiress."  She adjusted her silver spectacles. "I have my mother's talent at Charms and Potions as well as my father's at Defense. I am highly interested in Magical Creatures due to my guardian, Xenophilius Lovegood nee Malfoy.” 

A few people snickered, but she serenely ignored them.“I am extremely proud of my fiancé, who is Gryffindor's best Seeker since my brother."

 

Many others introduced themselves, including Prefect Daphne Greengrass and the Slytherin Beater, Mafalda Prewett.  Although Mafalda merely gave her name and Quidditch position before sitting down again, which Coraline noticed occasioned some sneering looks and whispers amongst many of the Slytherins present. 

 

"Miss Prewett surprised me,” Slughorn said, smiling at the girl with approval. “I watched her take on an older Slytherin who attempted to hex her. She has sharp reflexes and immense talent considering her background."

 

Coraline felt sorry for the girl, who was sitting in a chair by herself, away from the other Slytherins; she was clearly friendless. As a Prewett, shouldn't she fall under Charlie's wardship?  Perhaps something could be done.  She thought that the girl was mistreated but couldn't remember the reason. "Was it Crabbe and Goyle?” she asked the Professor. “They were very displeased when Draco chose her and Millicent as Beaters for Slytherin."

 

Mafalda looked up, surprised, and nodded sharply.  Coraline smiled at her.

 

The introductions continued.  Neither Coraline, Seamus, Colin, Neville nor Dennis was surprised when Marcus Belby seemed uncomfortable when questioned about his Uncle Damocles.

 

Coraline chuckled, drawing attention away from the young man although that was not her objective.  "Damocles is doing quite well. His daughter, Carys, is ten, I believe, and he has a son, Theseus, who is six. Damocles is a skilled potioneer. My godfather thinks well of him. They are friends."

 

Dennis smirked. "My cousin's son Perseus is quite fond of Theseus.  Carys is very good with children and will make someone a good Bondmate."

 

Marcus seemed to deflate.  While he hadn't been one of her tormentors, Marcus had never tried to stop the abuse either, and Coraline felt under no compulsion to ease his discomfort.  

Katie Bell surprisingly piped up, “It’s no good asking a Belby about Uncle Damocles, they don’t speak to him since they disapprove of . . .” She paused before continuing with unexpected discretion, “ . . . Carys’ and Theseus’ sire. You ought to have directed that question to our Smith cousin, Salma.  I believe that her mother, Alisa, is Carys’ godmother.”

 

It wasn’t unheard of for purebloods to disapprove of a relation’s choice in bondmate:  Andromeda had Bonded to a Muggleborn and Cora’s daddy had married her mother without the consent of Uncle Lucius’ sire. 

 

The luncheon was rather stiff, but once it was finally over Coraline made her way over to Mafalda.

 

"What do you want, Potter?" the girl snapped.

 

"To make your acquaintance.  We have shared classes but never spoken to one another.  My name is Coraline Potter, but I was once called Luna Lovegood." Cora held out her hand. "You are?"

 

The other girl ignored the proffered hand, instead crossing her arms over her chest and staring defiantly at Cora.  "Mafalda Prewett, lowest-ranked Snake in the Dungeons, the daughter of a Squib father and a Muggle mother. My father's family wants nothing to do with me. He went to visit his cousin Mary Prewett, who was Bonded to the Weasley heir.  She said she wanted nothing to do with him.  He begged her to foster me. He wanted nothing to do with the Magical World and my mother was furious that he had spawned a demon child.  He wished to give me away to keep the peace.  His cousin clearly refused.  So, I am hated at home and at school.  Why don't you go away, Miss Perfect?"

 

Coraline sighed, "Perfect? My life was far from perfect. I watched my mother, the woman who bore me and yet shared no blood with me, die before my eyes.  I came to school hoping to make friends only to find myself an outcast in my own House.  My Housemates stole my things.  My fellow Eagles as well as those from other Houses called me names.  I was beaten, cursed, hexed and jinxed.  I was told that I would be better off dead.  Ginny Weasley had it out for me especially; she was the one who attacked me most, besides members of my own House.  If it weren't for Dennis, I would still be under that curse.  He saved me.  He drove out my curse. 

 

"I have discovered friendship, sisterhood, family and love.  I am a sister, a friend, an aunt and a fiancée; all titles I never thought to bear.  I am not and never have been perfect.  I know all too well what it is like to be teased, taunted, cursed and disdained.  I see someone who is as alone as I was and I wish to reach out like my brother reached out to me even when he didn't know who I was.  I know the Head of the Prewett family, his name is Charlie and his Bondmate is my brother-in-law.  If you truly wish to start over and leave your Muggle family behind, I shall ask them to make you their ward.  My betrothed is also their ward.  It would be no trouble."

 

Mafalda blinked, trying to take in all she'd just heard.  "You would do that for me?"

 

Coraline nodded.  "I would.  With Hermione graduated along with my brother, Draco and Blaise, it's going to be a bit lonely at Hogwarts this year.  I only had Hermione as a female friend.  She protected me and cared for me like a sister.  I would like to be your friend, Mafalda, if you want one."

 

Mafalda hugged her impulsively.  "I've never had a friend before."

 

Cora grinned. "And I've never made one before."

 

"Is everything alright, princess?"

 

Coraline turned towards Dennis with a brilliant smile. "Dennis, I want you to meet your cousin and my new best friend, Mafalda Prewett.  Mafalda, this is my betrothed, Dennis Prewett, son of Gideon Prewett and Caradoc Dearborn.  His brother Colin is the Bondmate of young Seamus Finnegan, the heir to Lord O'Shanesey."

 

"Can't have too many cousins," Dennis said, placing an arm around Cora's waist and holding out a hand to the Slytherin. "A pleasure.  I don't really have any female cousins.  There are plenty of little witches but you are just about the only female cousin."

 

Well, there was Ginny but both the Weasleys and the Prewett families had cast her off.  She was in St. Mungo's where she was still trapped in her own head due to the weird natural magic Hermione cast at her.

 

"Weren't you two years behind us?" Mafalda frowned.

 

"Yes…" Dennis scratched his head nervously. "Back when I was a Creevey, a disgraced Healer who purported that we were hers kidnapped my father.  Although Colin and I are twins, I was placed under a spell which prevented from growing so it would seem that I was younger than Colin. It was odd for a Muggle family to birth two wizards.  Now our father is living at Eagle's Nest with our cousin, Lord Charlie Prewett, his Bonded Blaise and their children. The girls are so cute and the boys are adorable as well."

 

Coraline teased, "Makes you wish for one of your own?"

 

Dennis blushed.  "Maybe a little but I want us to finish school first.  It wouldn't be right to make you have to balance school and a baby.  Merlin knows how Blaise handled his."

 

Despite the lust potion debacle, Coraline and Dennis had chosen to resume their courtship as it had been because neither was ready for a sexual relationship.  Mostly Coraline, as her previous abuse from her schoolmates, especially Ron, made her wary of taking that step.  While Coraline had previously been resistant about seeing a Mind Healer, after the lust potion incident resulted in a massive panic attack, she had agreed to see one, but not Ted Tonks.  He was too closely family and she needed someone more distant.

 

Coraline laughed, "It helped that Charlie wasn't working.  Now that he's flying for the Cannons, it's a good thing that Blaise is home. He's studying to be a Transfiguration Master, I think."  She didn't like to think how close she’d come to getting pregnant without her consent; she'd been subjected to the lust potion and ended up being shagged by her prince. 

 

XoooooX

 

After the meeting of the Slug Club came the Prefect meeting.  Dennis and Seamus had been left behind, of course, since they weren’t prefects.  Coraline was the Fifth Year Ravenclaw Girls Prefect, Colin the Gryffindor Fifth Year Boys Prefect.  Neville was the Sixth Year Prefect; with Hermione graduated he wasn't sure who his partner would be. 

 

Coraline had to restrain a squeal when she spotted Mafalda.  She skipped over to her and hugged her.  "Fancy meeting you here."

 

Neville noticed Faye Dunbar and grinned.  So that was who had been chosen.  He was fiercely glad it wasn't Lavender, she was a pushover.  He made his way over to her and playfully punched Faye in the shoulder, "Hey."

 

She spotted the Quidditch captain badge.  "Am I still on the team?"

 

Neville laughed. "Are you kidding? I'd be mad to toss you off."

 

What was surprising was that the two Sixth Year Prefects for Slytherin were both girls: Daphne Greengrass and Millicent Bulstrode, who also wore the Quidditch Captain badge. Now that was unexpected; Slytherin hadn’t had a female captain in ages. Then again, with Blaise, Harry, Draco and Adrian gone, they were down to two Beaters and a Keeper. That was a loss of half their team.

 

Head Girl Katie Bell and Head Boy Cormac McLaggen brought the meeting to order.

 

"Welcome," Katie smiled.

 

McLaggen sneered. "It seems that Slytherin has a poor showing even if they have a seated Headmaster."

 

Mafalda stiffened beside Coraline, who glared at the obnoxious boy.  "It's not the House's fault if all the decent boys graduated."

 

"Who are you?"

 

"Ravenclaw Prefect Coraline Potter, previously known as Luna Lovegood.  I remember that Neville showed you up as a Keeper."

 

"You should watch how you talk to your Head Boy."  McLaggen stared menacingly at her.

 

"You're only Head Boy because you were the best bad choice," Coraline muttered.

 

"Cora!" Colin hissed, tugging on her sleeve.

 

"Head Boys aren't supposed to insult other Houses. They are supposed to be capable of making people get along. You're an embarrassment to Gryffindor," Coraline snapped, tossing her hair.

 

"Loony Lovegood sticking up for a bunch of Snakes?  I'm surprised a Lion would be interested in you."

 

"Cormac!" Katie hissed, giving a hard tug on his sleeve.  "Lay off."  McLaggen transferred his glare to her, yanking his arm away.

 

"I'll stick up for anyone who is being singled out and insulted,” Coraline continued.  ”You leave the Slytherins alone. I won't have you insulting my brother's House or that of my best friend's either."

 

McLaggen turned puce. "You're best friends with a Snake?"

 

Coraline smirked. "Yes, Slytherin Fifth Year Prefect and Beater Mafalda Prewett."

 

The room gaped at her.

 

Neville grinned.  "I see that you'll fail to show up Adrian, McLaggen.  Katie will have to try very hard to beat Angelina's reputation for fairness. Unless our Head Boy grows a conscience then I suggest we act as if Adrian is still in charge. I for one don't approve of someone who insults my Fiancé's House."

 

McLaggen stormed out.

 

Katie sighed. "We seem to have a prejudicial git as Head Boy.  All boys Prefects report to Neville and all girls to me.  Any serious issues I will handle.  I will not tolerate any blatant misuse of power.  Anyone abusing their position as Prefect will be turned over to their Head of House.  I will not allow any Prefect to treat anyone like Cora was treated.  Anyone ignoring any sort of assault will be dismissed.  Prefect Edgecombe, I expect you to keep your House in order.  I expect the same from you, Chang."

 

Considering that the Ravenclaw team was suspended last year, that Cho Chang was allowed to remain on the team and was clearly its Captain was surprising.

 

The meeting broke up and Coraline invited Mafalda to join her in the carriage she was sharing. The lonely Slytherin nodded.  "What about my things?"

 

Neville smiled. "I'll be happy to go with you to fetch them.  If you're with other Slytherins, I doubt they will want to upset the fiancé of a former Slytherin Head Boy."

 

Mafalda laughed. "I wonder.  Brainless gorms like Crabbe and Goyle aren't so caring.  I was lucky not to have to share a compartment with them, I was with Maia and some of the other girls in my dorm."

 

Neville held out his arm. "If you will show me the way, my lady."

 

"A gentleman?  I don't meet many who can look at me without disgust."

 

"My heart belongs to another but you are a pleasant companion. Perhaps, someday your heart will find its home."

 

XoooooX

 

**Another Vision**

 

2 September 1996

 

 

 

Blaise found himself in a darkened forest, ancient by its feel.  He used a location discerning charm to discover he was in Albania.  Recognizing the now familiar form of Tom Riddle he whispered, "Comprendis Serpentus."

 

"Where is it?" Riddle asked the silent forest in a hiss.

 

Blaise listened as the future Dark Lord attempted a summoning charm and failed.

 

"Salazar's cauldron!  What is the use of being the heir of someone like Salazar Slytherin when the simplest thing like finding a bloody diadem has to be so hard?  Did that foolish melancholy ghost know how many bloody hollow trees there are in a forest in Albania?  That useless wench!  If she weren't already dead I'd kill her myself."

 

Blaise watched him search for what seemed like hours.

 

"It's a magical Artefact!  Surely it has some aura it radiates." Riddle hissed a spell that identified locations of magical Artefacts.  Blaise winced as Riddle's cold eyes filled with maniacal glee.

 

"Yesss!" Riddle hissed and set out finally in the proper direction, eventually reaching the tree that held the diadem. It was dirty and nasty from its nearly thousand-year sleep.  Blaise watched as Riddle used an ancient spell to clean the near-millennia accrued dirt from the diadem so that it shone in all its glory, reminding Blaise of painted pictures in books like _Hogwarts: A History,_ copied no doubt from the Portraits of the Founders that had been lost.

 

Riddle walked away whistling some old Wizarding tune that Blaise couldn't identify but seemed to be from one of those old Balls that he dimly remembered.  Riddle walked until he came upon an Albanian peasant who had a bow in his hand and a quiver of arrows.  The man touched his forelock in greeting and opened his mouth to speak.

 

"Avada Kedavra!" came one hiss.  Before Blaise could breathe there came another: "Dehors hore crùce."

 

Blaise woke with a cry, his eyes filled with tears.  His heart skipped two beats as the dream's memory haunted him.  Eighteen years old and the Dark Lord Voldemort-to-be had killed five people and split his soul thrice.  No wonder the man was quite mad.  Still trying to make sense of his dream, he clung to his mate.  The calm breathing and heartbeat anchored him.  Blaise's last thought before sleep's embrace was that his mate was not just the Arrow but also his anchor.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?
> 
> Edit- my apologies, I listed the wrong Greengrass sister as Mal's dormmate. It should be my original character and middle sister 'Maia' Greengrass. Astoria/Asteria [Astoria is a made-up American Muggle name while Asteria like Daphne and Maia are the names of Greek nymphs so I changed it] is a Third Year Slytherin who started the same year as the Triwizard Tournament.
> 
> I believe the next update will include Hermione's bonding as well as other events.


	17. Birth, baby showers and a Bonding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you BAFan for your patience! She made this chapter so much better and understandable. You're awesome!

Title: The Truth Behind the Name and the Lies pt. 6

Pairing: DracoxHarry, OliverxPercy, twincest? Etc.

Fandom: HP

Notes: An abused boy finds out he's a wizard and a hero; his tormented mind rebels. One person sees through the misconceptions to the real Harry and treats him the way he deserves. How does this change them both and those around them?

A/N: For Xhexia.

* * *

 

 

**Chapter 17- Birth, Baby Showers, and a Bonding**

 

September 3, 1996

 

**Dora Gives Birth**

 

Dora was at her desk when her water broke.  Nearly doubled over with pain, she flicked her wand to activate a ward that informed Arthur.

 

He arrived immediately.  "Is it time?"

 

Dora nodded.  Arthur summoned one of Charlie's elves and sent it after Andromeda while he escorted her through the floo to St. Mungo’s.  Due to privacy concerns, he'd flooed directly to the ward that saw to Aurors only.

 

Andromeda came immediately, Narcissa only a minute behind her.  Both women shooed him out, erecting privacy curtains.  Andromeda hollered at him to do something useful and locate Donaghan.

 

Arthur decided that it would be wise to leave at once.

 

Dora cursed, "I am never doing this again!"

 

Andromeda laughed. "You would say that; every woman does.  I told your father I would hex his bits off.  It was a good thing they'd taken my wand."

 

Narcissa conjured water for a basin a smart mediwitch brought her.  Andromeda had a sheet over Nymphadora's legs, she'd already used magic to remove Dora's ruined trousers and her frock coat was probably in her office.

 

She checked; Nymphadora was halfway there already. "How long have you been in labour?"

 

"I had back pain and couldn't sleep well last night."

 

"Idiot girl!  You should have come immediately.  Did you want your son to be born in the Department of Magical Law?"

 

Dora glared. "I work there, Mother!  I had work to do."

 

"Have you never heard of parental leave?"

 

Dora bit back a scream.  The next thing she was aware of besides pain was Donnie. She squeezed his hand so tightly she almost broke it.  Less than an hour after Arthur brought her there, Andromeda declared she was ready. "You've dilated enough, Nymphadora. You should push now."

 

Dora huffed and puffed as she pushed.  Her efforts were rewarded within twenty minutes with a healthy cry.

 

Andromeda cut the cord and handed the infant to Narcissa while she saw to the afterbirth.  Dora's husband had been smart enough to grab her pre-packed hospital bag.  It had a few outfits in it and a receiving blanket that Andromeda had gifted her with.

 

Narcissa washed and dried the baby, dressing him in a nappy, a bodysuit and a pair of yellow footie pyjamas, then handed the babe to her niece. "He's a beautiful boy."

 

Andromeda banished the afterbirth and helped Dora into a special sort of nappy for women post-birth.  It would absorb the blood that often accompanied witch births.

 

Dora gazed at her son, all pain and anger forgotten. "He is adorable."

 

XoooooX

 

September 7, 1996

 

Hermione was surprised when a Malfoy elf escorted her into a different room for breakfast.  It wasn't the morning room; it was the comfortable front parlour that was decorated with soothing shades of cream and blue.  It was also occupied by many people seated in the various chairs and sofas around the room.

 

"Come here, Hermione.  We were beginning to despair that you would wake up at a decent hour," Narcissa said, smiling.

 

Hermione flushed.  She spotted girls from school, Viktor's aunt Bisera, Fleur, Dora, Andromeda, Professor Burbage and Narcissa.

 

Coraline patted the settee.  "Come sit here."

 

Hermione joined her and spotted a girl she vaguely recognized beside her. "Prewett?"

 

The girl nodded.

 

Coraline smiled. "Mal is a Prefect with me and she was one of Slytherin’s Beaters.  I thought Mal would like to come.  She's my new friend.  Being both outcasts, we sort of drifted together."

 

Hermione smiled at her. "Nice to see you."

 

There were gifts piled on the table before her.  Coraline tapped a large box at her feet. "I've been working hard since I heard."

 

Hermione opened the box and found knitted baby things.  They were better made than the ones that Coraline had made for Harry's babies.  She hugged her friend. "Thank you. They are lovely."

 

They were a little sloppy still but they were improving, they were made in a variety of colours but lacked decorations. That was all right; Coraline was still learning.

 

Bisera floated a box to her and smiled. "This is from my brother, his Bonded, and me."

 

Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat and opened it.  Inside was a beautiful miniature crib, less than a foot long; it looked like something made for a small doll, complete with a tiny, soft mattress.  It was white and shaped like a carriage.  She blinked. "What?"

 

Narcissa laughed.  "Blaise told us it would be a girl.  We thought ‘Princess’ would be a lovely theme."

 

"It is a tradition for the sire's family to bless the baby by gifting a crib," Bisera smiled.

 

Hermione levitated the crib out of the box and it resumed its original size.  It was beautiful… it was white and was made of wrought iron. 

 

“There’s more,” Andromeda urged.

 

Hermione looked inside the box again.  It seemed that the Princess theme had spread.  There was a matching rocking chair from Narcissa and beautiful hand-crocheted lace bedding from Andromeda.

 

The Patil sisters had come despite Hermione not being especially close to either of them.  Pavarti had gifted her a sketchbook, blushing. Hermione opened it; inside were sketches of fairytale castles and unicorns. "Did Dean do these?"

 

Pavarti nodded. "I wanted your baby to have a pretty room. Coraline mentioned Princesses and he drew these. He promised to paint a mural featuring whichever ones you liked best."

 

Hermione paged through them, floored that he would be willing to do that and that Pavarti would think of something like that.  "Thank you!"

 

Dora wasn't interested in pink or princess but she had chosen a practical present: a gift certificate to a baby emporium in Diagon Alley for a thousand galleons.  Charity had made her a lovely quilt; it had a lilac border, a castle, dresses and a carriage that resembled the crib.

 

Hermione had gifts of clothes from Angelina, Alicia and Katie.

 

Fleur had given her a lovely chandelier decorated with crystal and pink roses for the nursery.  Percy's mother-in-law, Janie, had found a lovely lilac dresser chest that had three shelves and seven drawers of varying sizes. The drawers were painted spun-sugar pink, mint green and buttercup yellow.

 

Hermione exclaimed and cried over each gift.

 

Coraline held out a letter. "It's from Harry."

 

Hermione opened it.

 

_Dear Hermione,_

_Blaise told us you are expecting a girl.  Congratulations!  Blaise and Draco talked to Viktor's fathers and they have agreed to buy a Potter property called Faire Fields from me.  It is in Godric's Hollow.  It is a beautiful home that you can live in when in Britain.  I was going to give it to you as a wedding present but apparently, it is a tradition where Viktor is from to give the bonded couple a house.  I have enclosed pictures.  I took them but Colin was kind enough to develop them for us._

_Narcissa and Andromeda have assured me that your baby shower would settle the Nursery._

_As you have been practically adopted by the Malfoys, they have agreed to update the house, which has not been lived in for years._

_Lucius is refusing to take no for an answer, so perhaps you will let Viktor modify it for you and Narcissa would love to decorate it if you let her alone.  She may be pregnant but that doesn't stop her; remember Blaise's Bonding._

_Your friend who loves you like a brother,_

_Harry_

 

_P.S. We repurchased the bed and matching writing desk you liked when we went shopping for Papa's house. The bed is my real present._

 

Hermione flushed with happiness.  She thought that bed was beautiful.

 

A house elf appeared and bowed to Narcissa. "Mistress, breakfast be served in family dining room."

 

"Thank you, Stria.  Ladies, if you would care to join us for a meal."  The guests followed Narcissa to breakfast.

 

XoooooX

 

September 19, 1996

**Hermione and Viktor's Bonding**

 

The lawn at Malfoy Manor was extravagantly decorated with gorgeous flowers and a royal pavilion.  Beautiful crystal tables, similar to those Hermione remembered from the Yule Ball, dotted the grass.  There was lavish seating in the form of matching chairs.  Vases that sparkled like cut diamonds were filled with gorgeous, fragrant bouquets.  A Bonding altar was set up near the gazebo that Narcissa wanted to have the Ministry contracts signed in.

 

While Narcissa had been planning the wedding with Bisera Krum, Lucius had negotiated a settlement with Viktor's father, Damitar.  With the mere mention of a local tradition, Lucius had a lavish well installed on the lawn near the area where the circle would be cast.  Chairs had been set up all around the selected location.

 

The guests began to arrive.

 

Lucius was present in his Slytherin Chaser robes.  Much to his chagrin, they had needed to be adjusted to fit him now, but Narcissa had assured him that the adjustment was merely a consequence of his muscles having filled out as he matured from the slightly gangly teenager he’d been.

 

As the invitation had specified, everyone who had played on a team wore their Quidditch outfits instead of formal dress robes.  Charlie came in his Chudley Cannons Seeker's kit, while Fred and George were dressed in a set of Fred's Chudley Cannons Beater kit.  Blaise wore his Slytherin Chaser kit.  Adrian was, of course, attending in his Appleby Arrows Chaser kit and Neville was wearing his Gryffindor Keeper kit.  Oliver was there in his Puddlemere United kit, although Percy was wearing a set of comfortable dress robes since he couldn't play.

 

Bill came in a Gryffindor Keeper kit but Fleur had not arrived.  Arthur was present as a Gryffindor Chaser while Carey, who hadn't actually flown for his House, was present in a Hufflepuff Chaser kit.  Dean and Seamus were dressed as Gryffindor Chasers while Dennis wore his Gryffindor Seeker kit.

 

Hermione's father, Mathias, was present, but he was wearing a Muggle suit and even though it was quite a stylish cut, it was a conservative dark grey and looked very plain next to the flamboyant robes and gowns the majority of the guests were wearing.

 

Now that all the guests had assembled, everyone started looking around for the soon-to-be Bonded couple, who were staying in separate wings of the Manor.

 

Viktor arrived first, along with his witnesses: Draco and Harry.  All three were on their Firebolts.

 

Hermione had wanted Harry desperately but had decided not to push her parents by having a male “Matron” of Honour. 

 

Viktor was wearing his Bulgarian National Seeker kit when he climbed off his Firebolt.  Draco and Harry were wearing their Slytherin Seeker kits, even though Draco had last flown as a Slytherin Chaser.  They too climbed off their Firebolts and took their place at Viktor's side.

 

A whinny was heard on the air.  Everyone looked up to see a large carriage flying in from the front of the Manor, pulled by two magnificent white Abraxans. Malfoys never did anything by half and albino animals seemed to be a favorite, with the pure white peacocks and, now, white Abraxans.

 

Dobby was wearing a clean, mended and starched pillowcase; he bowed and opened the carriage door.

 

Mathias strode forward and offered his arm to his wife as she descended the steps.  Hanging from Jean's left arm was a basket of rose petals.  She had protested at first that she was too old to be the “flower girl” but Bisera had assured her that it was the tradition in their country.  Jean was wearing a Muggle champagne-coloured dress with a long skirt and bolero-style, long-sleeved jacket.   Although quite lovely, it still looked a bit out of place with the Wizarding ceremony, but given Hermione’s ancestry it couldn’t be helped.

 

As she was escorted up the path to the Bonding circle, she reached into the basket with her right hand and scattered the petals.  She was careful to strew them as widely as she could.  Luckily for her, Bisera had charmed them to scatter and stick to the path, which was lined with lilacs that Neville had made sure bonded to the Malfoy property enough to create a sort of arch. They would find a new home on the property but lilacs were Hermione's favourite flowers.  The thrown flowers on the path before the couple to were to ensure their health, happiness and purity in future.

 

Harry escorted Coraline and Draco escorted Fleur, who were to be Hermione's witnesses. In Muggle terms, Coraline was her Maid of Honour and Fleur was a bridesmaid but it was Fleur who would be signing her Ministry papers because only she was of age.

 

Coraline and Fleur had matching dresses in style but Cora's was gold and Fleur's silver. The dresses were strapless, frothy, silk concoctions that flowed around their bodies. They were like a single piece of fabric held together by two rosettes.

 

Lucius escorted a pregnant but glowing Narcissa to a chair on the East side of the circle. Narcissa's dress showed off her cleavage; it was a lovely summer green silk, similar in shade to the lawn.  Her pregnancy made her bust more noticeable and, if Lucius' hungry looks were any indication, it made her more desirable.  A pureblood consort who proved highly fertile was said to be worth twice her bride price.  The dress had a matching sash that wrapped around the top of her bump, which at five months was noticeably showing.

 

Andromeda's predictions about the baby’s weight might make him outweigh Draco at birth. Draco was a long, slim baby when he was born, and he'd stayed lean. It was possible that this boy would take after Narcissa's relatives, like the recently passed Sirius.

 

Andromeda wore a set of dress robes that were identical in style to Narcissa’s but hers were wine coloured, which suited her complexion far better.  Her pregnancy glamour showed her putting on weight but no bump yet.

 

Finally, the two mother figures of the bride were seated and the four witnesses were in position.

 

Mathias returned to the carriage to retrieve his daughter.  There were whispers of awe as she emerged.

 

Hermione's gown was peach; since she was pregnant she refused to wear white.  Instead, she opted for a lovely dress with one shoulder strap; it was slightly similar in design to her witnesses' dresses.  Instead of the rosettes, there was a belt that was designed to look like ivy.  The skirt rippled, flowed and was wider than her witnesses' dresses.  A lovely silver hair comb that was comprised of a set of three asters held her fringe back.  Her hair hung in curls and tamed waves to her pale shoulders.

 

In short, she looked even lovelier than the first time Narcissa's hairdresser, Henri, had the pleasure of bringing out her beauty, at the Yule Ball.

 

Her bouquet had lilac for herself, primroses for Cora, delphinium for Harry, narcissus for Blaise, sweet pea for Remus, carnations for Severus, chrysanthemums for Narcissa, a peace rose for Draco, a gladiolus for Percy, and irises for Viktor and Oliver.  All of them were important to her and she wanted them represented in a small way.

 

The carnations were white for remembrance, her chrysanthemums were red, which meant sharing, an iris meant inspiration, gladiolus for strength of character, sweet peas were symbolic of shyness - which Remus had been for years - and Harry's delphiniums represented boldness, which he could be.  A peace rose was yellow and pink: pink for friendship and yellow for zealousness - both of which suited Draco.  Blaise was special in his own right for bringing them together when she needed Viktor most; his flower meant chivalry and that was Blaise.  Her own birth flower was an aster, but she wasn't fond of them despite their meaning of contentment.  Lilacs, according to Narcissa, meant first love and that was what Viktor was.

 

The colours did clash somewhat with her dress and Narcissa had tried to talk her out of using all of them, but Hermione quietly insisted and when Narcissa found the flower-meaning book she understood. 

 

Hermione's father escorted her to the edge of the circle whose boundaries were marked with floating unlit candles.

 

Hermione walked forward, careful to enter the circle right foot first.  Viktor had also entered right foot first when he arrived.  That was considered as a sign of happiness in the future in the part of the world where Viktor was raised.

 

No one touched her, no one spoke as she picked up a ceramic dish full of wheat, coins and a raw egg.  She lifted it high and threw it behind her as hard as she could.  Bisera, Viktor, Damitar and Nebojsa let out a sigh of relief when the dish hit the ground and shattered into dozens of pieces.

 

It was a Bulgarian tradition; if the dish cracked it was considered a good sign. That it shattered into many pieces was even better. 

 

Nebojsa, while not a woman, was Viktor's bearer; he had stayed to the side until the dish broke. He now stepped forward, a second dish of honeyed cake that he had made himself in his hands.  With his fingers, he ripped a piece off and held it to Hermione's lips.  She accepted it and he then gave Viktor a bit of cake as well.

 

It was considered a blessing on the part of the bearer; the cake must be made by their own hands and infused with their good wishes during its making.  Its absence would have stated that Nebojsa was against this union and nothing could be farther from the truth.  While he wished that they could have waited awhile, Hermione’s unexpected pregnancy forced the matter.  However, he believed that they were meant to be and he was pleased to bestow this blessing. 

 

Narcissa and Damitar had agreed to oversee this jointly; any British Bonding tradition would be hers while any Eastern European would be his.

 

Narcissa held her birch and galena powder wand in her left hand and the Malfoy family athame, the Dagger of Shadows. "As those blessed with magic, we do not have a physical structure like the churches of our Muggle Kindred with whom we share this land.  We create a Circle, which through our magic and blessing becomes our sacred Temple to the Elements. The Earth is the floor, the stars are the roofs, and all of Nature becomes our witnesses.  We also have, when possible, all guests either seated or standing in a circle around the sacred area, creating a sense of theatre.  Guests are usually asked to bring bells with them.  Guardians of the Four Quarters - Air, Fire, Water and Earth - join us here to celebrate the Bonding of two."

 

Blaise stood at the easternmost point of the circle, facing the East he spoke, holding an eagle's feather:  "Guardians of the East, Powers of Air; you who are thought and the wind upon my face.  Winged eagle of the skies who is the morning breeze and the wrath of storms, I call upon and invite your presence to witness this rite."

 

The wind came from him and flowed around the circle.

 

Neville spoke, holding a flaming ruby in his hands: "Guardians of the South, Powers of Fire, you who are passion and the hearth.  Great Snake who lives within the coals of the home fires as well as wildfires, I call upon and invite your presence to witness this rite."

 

As the words were heard, fire flowed from Neville to each candle, bringing them to light.  It too rotated around the circle filling the area with power that even Hermione’s Muggle parents couldn’t ignore.

 

George spoke: "Guardians of the West, Powers of Water, you who are emotions and pure love.  Gentle Dolphin of the waves who is the morning dew, and the torrential rains, I call upon and invite your presence to witness this rite." In his hands, he held an abalone shell as he faced the West.

 

His magic flowed in a spiral of water around Blaise’s and Neville's magic.

 

Fred held up a crystal toward the North. "Guardians of the North, Powers of Earth, you who are the stabilizer and nurturer.  Powerful Buffalo who paws the ground and stands solid as the mountains, I call upon and invite your presence to witness this rite."

 

Earth came from around Fred's feet to join the whirlwind of air, water and fire that flowed around the circle.

 

An arch of seven colours appeared over Viktor and Hermione.

 

Narcissa gestured with the wand and athame. "Viktor and Hermione stand beneath the Arch of Seven Blessings. You see here purple to bless their souls; dark blue to bless their dreams; light blue to bless them with harmony; green to bless them with Love; yellow to bless them with strength and courage; orange to bless them with fertility, and red to bless them with passion and commitment.  In the name of the magic that unites us as one people and those that came before, in the names of Mighty ones of the Four Quarters, the rulers of the Elements: Blessed be this time and this place, as we who are now gathered here in this sacred place."

 

Narcissa now turned to light the candles on the Bonding Altar saying as she did, "We are all children of the Earth and of the Light.  For thus do I bring to flame these Sacred Candles."

 

Flame leapt from the ruby in Neville's hands to light those few candles that had not been lit when his called Flames ignited the encircling candles.

 

Finally, Damitar spoke, his voice low and deep, vibrating on the air: "My son and his betrothed are in love and wish to make their vows in the ways of the Ancients. They wish not to be treated as two separate beings but as one with one heart and one dream.  They are merely coming to legalize the Bond growing between them. Theirs, they hope, is a continuing relationship through the ages.  For a people that believe that we are reborn many times through our bloodlines, the concept of soulmates is a very ancient and serious one.  It has been said 'That to fulfil the very nature of true love, you must return again at the same time and place as you loved one, meet and know, you must remember and love them again'."

 

Narcissa spoke again: "Know that here is where you two begin your journey of a life shared, bound together by the Bonds of this ancient rite.  Many are the years that I hope you will share.  Countless be the moons that you will watch rise. Your sacred trust and connection be strengthened by the vows you take.  I wish for you that happy will be many of your days."

 

She reached out towards the East. "May the Keepers of the Winds of the East whisper Joy into your lives.  May you take delight in each other's smiles for all of your days until passing.  Share together rainbows, dreams, and morning joys, and let your love be as free as the butterfly's sacred flight."

 

Wind came from Blaise and swirled around Hermione and Viktor, pulling the two closer together before seeming to be absorbed by the two. "May the element of Air bless your mind and bless your dreams as a Bonded Couple.  May your prayers and wishes be born on the rising incense smoke. Let Air's blessings of wisdom, good communication, learning, and intellectual growth touch your lives. "

 

"May your love prove as strong as the bones of the earth, which can be shaken but never destroyed."  A pot of earth floated to them from Fred's side.  "A gift of Life; that which is planted will always grow if nourished.  Let this rose be a symbol of your love.  Its blessing grants you wisdom, a happy home, groundedness, and fertility".

 

Neville gifted them with a candle lit with an eternal flame. "This candle is fed by the strength of your love. The stronger it is, the brighter it glows. Even if one passes to the Veil, as long as the love burns true so shall this candle.  Let this candle awaken creativity, harmony, sensuality, and vitality."

 

"Let your love nourish as water nourishes a plant. It takes from the sun, basking in its presence.  So must you share and receive love.  Let the act of tending this plant with water inspire understanding, emotional support, intuition, and friendship."  A wave of George's hand and water sprinkled the rose.

 

A heart-shaped crystal shimmered at the rose's base; Coraline's voice was soft but carrying. "An oft-forgot Guardian of Life is the realm of the soul or spirit. This crystal hewn in the shape of a heart is a symbol of that which ought to not be forgotten. The crystal is to remind you of balance, wholeness, integrity, and spiritual growth. Grow together, balance one another and cherish one another.  Any stain upon your love is a stain upon your own soul.  Remain faithful and your lives will be plentiful."

 

"Above you are the stars and below you the stones, bones of the Earth. As time passes, remember that like a star your love should be constant.  Like a stone, your love should be firm.  Be close but not too close. Possess one another, yet be understanding.  Have patience each with the other, for storms will come but they will go quickly. Be free with affection and warmth, make love often." Narcissa blushed slightly. "Always be sensuous with one another. Have no fear and let not the words or ways of the unenlightened give you unease, for those who stand with you this day and those who came before have blessed you. If forms are ever divided, may your souls cling together sharing all; sorrow with sorrow, joy with joy, and love with love."

 

"It is tradition to exchange symbols of one's livelihood to one's prospective Bondmate."Viktor knelt and handed over his Firebolt to Hermione **.**  "As I am a Seeker for the Vratsa Vultures and the Bulgarian National Quidditch team, the symbol of my livelihood is my broom. With this broom, I have earned the money that I shall spend to keep you happy."

 

Hermione accepted the broom with both hands.  Then she handed it to Coraline and accepted the very thick book of the laws of the British Ministry that she had to memorize in her training. "I am planning to be a lawyer, I offer this book of the laws of my home Ministry." Viktor received the book from her, a moment later passing it to Harry to hold.

 

"It is also the custom for the Dominant Bondmate and his family to provide a home for the couple. Viktor, the keys?" Damitar asked.

 

Viktor presented Hermione with an iron ring which had several keys attached to it.  "Ahren, these are the keys to our home. The gift of these keys implies that I shall give you shelter and provide for you." 

 

Hermione accepted the keys with a smile and passed them along to Coraline to hold for her.

 

"Hermione, the sword?" Damitar spoke.

 

Hermione took the sword from Fleur and held it out to Viktor. "Viktor, I give you this weapon knowing you will keep me and ours safe from harm."

 

Viktor inclined his head and allowed her to place it on his outstretched hands.  He reverently handed it to Draco.

 

The sword had wings that formed the hilt of this sword with a feathered tail for the pommel. This sword had a bright blue dymondwood handle with a braided gold inlay. The blade was 31" long and 1.5" wide. The blade is high carbon tempered steel lightweight, strong, sharp and flexible.

 

Since Hermione’s family had no sword, it was a Bonding gift from Andromeda.

 

Damitar spoke again. "Rings?"

 

Coraline stepped forward; resting in the centre of her palm was a simple platinum ring.  It had a centre band that wasn't burnished to shine as brightly as the inner band.  It had been engraved by a Romany artist who was also a Seer: ”Raven and Angel Forever” was etched into the shining metal.

 

Harry held out Hermione's wedding band; it matched her engagement ring for it was part of a matched set. It was platinum, as was the engagement ring so that it would not interact dangerously with her potions.  Marquis sapphires were sent into the decorated band, they were encompassed by round white diamonds.

 

Damitar floated the two rings to hang on a carved hawthorn baton that bore ivy and honeysuckle. He spoke a string of Latin words that caused the rings to glow. "The rings have now been blessed," he announced.

 

Then Narcissa said, beaming, "Hermione, repeat after me: Beloved, I seek to know of you and ask those that came before us that I be given the wisdom to see who you truly are and to love you as a Mystery. I will take joy in you; I delight in the taste of you. You are to me the whispering of the tides, the seduction of the summer's heat. You are my friend, you are my lover.  Grow old and wise with me and I'll do the same with you. A life of rainbows and sunsets. A willingness to share those things of Sadness, I love you. I adore you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you and beyond that, if I may!"

 

Hermione smiled up at Viktor, her heart hammering in her chest as she spoke her vows.

 

Bisera had approved of the vows that Hermione had her heart set on: the same ones from Harry and Draco's Bonding.  So they were used in place of more traditional ones from Viktor's family.

 

Viktor repeated the same from Damitar.

 

Damitar officiated the hand-fasting, using gold and silver cords. "Clasp hands."

 

The couples did so.

 

"As I tie their hands you see that they have formed an infinity symbol. So might their love prove to be, this symbol has no beginning and no end just as the rings they wear do." Another string of Latin followed and the cords transformed, not into rings but into matching twisted bracelets of gold and silver that rested on their left wrists.

 

"Now we shall have the ceremonial sharing," Damitar announced.

 

Narcissa approached the altar; she lifted a green jade tray over her head. It was decorated with leaves, and sitting on it was a loaf of braided bread that she had made and sliced herself.

 

Viktor took a piece and fed it to Hermione.  She, in turn, fed him a piece.  It was still warm as if straight from the oven.

 

Then Narcissa offered the tray to the witnesses who each took a piece for themselves.  Finally, she offered the tray to Damitar.  Upon eating his own piece, he took it from her and offered her a slice.

 

Then he exchanged the platter for a chalice.  He held it over his head and then offered it to his son.  The chalice was carved out of jade as well; its design was that of a tree. The bowl of the chalice was made of a deeper polished green and was veined with branches.

 

Narcissa sprinkled rose petals over the couple.  "May I present for the first time, Viktor Krum and Hermione Granger-Krum."

 

There were calls of congratulations, applause, and sparks cast from wands.  Narcissa closed the circle.  Damitar strode forward and took Nebojsa's arm. "If you will follow us."

 

The Bonding party joined the couples and they circled the elaborate well that Lucius had installed for the ceremony.  Then there were hugs all around.

 

Damitar let his Bonded slip away and announced, "It's time for the Stepping Ritual."

 

Bisera had attended with her on-again-off-again suitor, Dragomir Ionescue. "We'll show you."

 

Dragomir glared at her but acquiesced.  They placed their hands on each other's forearms and commenced to try to step on each other's foot.  The match lasted three minutes before Bisera stepped on Dragomir's foot.

 

She smirked, "If we were married, that would ensure that I would rule the home."

 

"Since I have yet to get you to the altar in twenty years, that isn't likely to happen," Charlie's former boss growled.

 

Then Viktor and Hermione faced off. When Hermione stepped on his foot, there were murmurs from her friends whether his klutziness ensured her victory or that he had no desire to win and let her.  Either way, the Bulgarian custom proclaimed Hermione as the true Head of their family.

 

Narcissa called out, "It would be our pleasure if you would all join us inside for the reception."

 

She and Lucius led them towards the front doors of the Manor which stood open.  Between the flung open doors was Nebojsa; waiting for them was a large piece of white silk covered in red rose petals.  Although this was Lucius and Narcissa's home, they allowed the newly Bonded couple to enter first.

 

Nebojsa greeted them each with a kiss. They all filed into the large ballroom of the Manor, which was decorated like the 1994 Quidditch World Cup Stadium in honour of the couple's first meeting.

 

A large cake decorated with a sketch of Viktor on a Firebolt and handing a snitch to Hermione held pride of place in the centre of a large table.  Once everyone was seated they were served food that was a combination of first meal traditions for the couple's origins.  While Viktor had paid for the Bonding, Bisera and Narcissa crafted it with input from Hermione.

 

After the meal, they cut the cake together and fed it to one another - a Muggle tradition but still sweet. They then spent several minutes receiving congratulations from all the guests, after which they both slipped away to their respective wings to change.

 

Narcissa saw Jean, who stood nearby, looking around with a slightly puzzled frown.  Narcissa joined her. "Is something wrong?"

 

Jean sighed, "I don't know, but what about the wedding gifts?"

 

Narcissa blinked.  "Oh.  Didn't we tell you?  Dear me, we must have forgotten; please accept my apologies. The Bonded couple don't receive those until their return from their honeymoon.  Since Hermione’s friends were all still in school and expecting when they were Bonded, well, with the exception of Seamus and Colin, it didn't come up. They had baby showers instead of the usual post-honeymoon gifts.  We sent gifts to them but weren't invited to that Celebration."

 

It was of course usually tradition for a post-honeymoon celebration where the couple received their Bonding gifts; some in person, some by owl. However, given that Blaise and Fleur were attacked at Seamus and Colin’s Bonding, which the Malfoys did attend, the usual festivities were called off.  Seamus and Colin seemed to have felt it was inappropriate to have a ‘public’ celebration after such a tragedy, especially since both Blaise and Fleur were family to Colin by bonding.  

 

"Where are they going, Lady Malfoy?" Mathias Granger asked, coming up to stand next to his wife.

 

Narcissa beamed.  "We're sending them to Fiji."

 

The Muggle couple exchanged glances of shock.  "What?"

 

"It's to a romantic little place that Lucius found.  He took me three birthdays ago and I fell in love with it.  I've already sent a trunk of clothes ahead of them.  We paid for two weeks there."

 

"Fiji," Jean whispered, still in shock.

 

"She's been like a daughter to me,” Narcissa told them earnestly.“If we'd had romantically-minded parents ourselves, I would have liked it as a gift.  It's lovely."

 

Viktor escorted in Hermione.  She was wearing a light pink sundress and beach sandals.  Viktor had on a pair of swim trunks and a light shirt.

 

Narcissa kissed their cheeks and handed them a portkey. "It will take you to your honeymoon location and it will return you in two weeks.  I've had your clothes sent ahead. The dossier will be waiting for you on the table of your bungalow."

 

Hermione hugged her. "Thank you. Everything was beautiful."

 

They were hugged and wished well by their family and friends, then Viktor tapped the portkey with his hornbeam wand and they were gone.

 

"Well, I think that was a satisfactory Bonding.  Quite pleasant, don't you think, Bisera?" Damitar asked.

 

Bisera smirked. "It turned out nicely."

 

Narcissa laughed. "I wonder what Hermione's expression will be when she sees what I packed for her."

 

Lucius glanced at his bonded. "What did you do?"

 

Narcissa gave him a look of innocence. "It's a honeymoon, Lucius, in Fiji.  Try to imagine."

 

Lucius groaned.  He could only too well: sexy lingerie, bikinis and the like. Of course, there would be a few light but fetching dresses for the girl since there were two onsite restaurants if they wanted to eat out. It was covered in the price.

 

Harry leaned in to kiss Draco.  "It was nice wasn't it?"

 

"It was different, but they wouldn't have wanted a conventional ceremony," Draco said.

 

Lucius escorted the Grangers to their car while Narcissa bade goodbye to their Wizarding guests.  The Manor, of course, was hidden from Muggle view by numerous spells, but Lucius had met Hermine’s parents at a prearranged spot yesterday to allow them to have plenty of rest before the ceremony today and personally driven their car onto the Estate grounds.  As the Grangers settled themselves inside their vehicle, Mathias asked, “Lucius, will we be able to find our way out of here without you?”

 

Lucius smiled and waved his wand in an intricate casting.  “Just follow the lighted path.  It will guide you back to your world.”

 

Sure enough, Mathias saw a trail of lights spring into existence on the other side of the intricate wrought-iron gates.  They weren’t overly bright, but he could see the pathway clearly in the mist outside the gates.  He and Jean thanked Lucius once again for everything the Malfoys had done for their daughter, then Mathias slowly drove through the opened gates.  As he began following the softly-glowing trail, he looked in the rearview mirror, curious as to what he would see.  Even though he’d expected something of the sort, the sight still sent a jolt through him. 

 

He stopped the car.  “Jean, look behind us.”  Jean obligingly turned around in her seat, as did he, and together they viewed the craggy hills with jutting rocks that was all they could now see.  Malfoy Manor and its grounds had disappeared.  After a moment, they faced forward again and drove off in silence, knowing that their daughter, however much she loved them, had chosen a world they could not be part of.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?
> 
> After the depressing last chapter I hope you all like this one. Merlin for a person who plans to never marry, I seem to write a lot of weddingw. This has to be the most complicated Bonding I've written yet. I hope you like it.


	18. Quidditch tryouts, Horcrux hunting and heir retrieval

Title: The Truth Behind the Name and the Lies pt. 6  
Pairing: DracoxHarry, OliverxPercy, twincest? Etc.  
Fandom: HP  
Notes: An abused boy finds out he's a wizard and a hero; his tormented mind rebels. One person sees through the misconceptions to the real Harry and treats him the way he deserves. How does this change them both and those around them?

 

Chapter 18- Quidditch Tryouts, Horcrux Hunting and Heir Retrieval

 

Gryffindor

 

Neville had to have tryouts to be sure he had the best team, especially the Chasers.  While he was a decent Keeper, he might find a more suitable Reserve for the position, and Merlin knew they needed a Reserve Seeker because it was the most dangerous position.

 

Dennis took the Snitch and played a catch-and-release game against himself, pretty high up on his Nimbus 2001 that was a gift from his Head of House, Charlie, for making the team.

 

Cora and Colin were up in the stands, watching.

 

Neville looked around at the group of hopefuls, clearing his throat nervously.  "Last year's Chasers were Alicia, Angelina, Katie, Seamus, Dean, and Demelza Robbins.  Dennis is our Seeker.  I was Keeper with Hooper as my Reserve.  If no one proves better than Hooper, his position is safe.  I think even with Angelina and Alicia graduated, our Chasers are still keen, though of course we need replacements for those two.  Alicia had a good team.  I would like Dunbar and Coote to stay on as our Beaters, with Andrew Kirke and Jimmy Peakes still Reserves.  If there are any Seeker hopefuls, I would like to see them now."

 

An unfamiliar blonde pushed his glasses up his aquiline nose. "Can I try out for Seeker?"

 

Neville frowned at him, not recognising the boy. "You would be?"

 

"Terentius Malfoy, but Jimmy calls me Trev.  Weird Latin names are a family passion, according to my father.  I'm surprised no one blinked much when I ended up here in Gryffindor, since most of my family have been Slytherins.  Then again, a near cousin was a Ravenclaw.  I'm a decent flyer, though probably not on a par with my distant cousin, former Captain Malfoy."

 

"If you're anything like Draco I'd be more than grateful to have you,” Neville said.  “Dennis, I'd like you to give me an opinion on this kid's skills.  Let him challenge you for the snitch a few rounds."

 

"Sure thing, boss!” Dennis said jokingly but respectfully. “Malfoy, get your blonde arse up here and show me what you've got."

 

Malfoy pushed off with ease and a playful rivalry began between them.  Malfoy had sharp eyes and quick reflexes.  Dennis was only better due to experience; in time, Malfoy could bypass him in skill.

 

Vicki Frobisher was a bit better than Hooper, but to Neville's disappointment, she put the Charms club higher in her priorities than Quidditch, forcing him to agree to keep Hooper as his Reserve Keeper.  He would have liked to have someone more mature; oh well, with any luck Hooper wouldn’t be needed.

 

"Dennis? What's the verdict?" Neville called out.

 

"Well, young Master Gryffindor, he's good.  Might be better than me but needs experience." Dennis bowed comically and had Coraline giggling in the stands.

 

Neville spotted Bulstrode coming, with a sea of green around her. He actually pitied her.

 

"Come back down, Dennis; it's our turn to clear off." Neville nodded at Bulstrode as she drew near.

 

Seamus politely handed off the Quaffle to the new Slytherin Captain.

 

"Uh, thanks," the muscular witch muttered.

 

"We'll leave you the pitch.  Good luck with tryouts.  I want your best, Bulstrode." Neville held out his hand.

 

Millie blinked at him. "Perhaps Adrian has decent taste after all."  She gave his hand a brief shake.

 

Neville flushed. "I wouldn't be half the wizard I am today if he hadn't seen something worthwhile in me. For that, I shall always be grateful."

 

"As you should be," the Slytherin Captain snorted, favouring him with the tiniest quirk of a smile before turning to her team, effectively dismissing him.

 

Gryffindor left the pitch quietly.

 

XoooooX

 

"With our best players graduated, we've got more holes in our roster than usual," Millie began. "Puglia's not bad but Kevyn will graduate this year.  We've got no Seekers since Malfoy and Potter graduated, taking the Chasers with them.  All we have left are the Beaters and the Keepers, which is not a good start for a team. Brawn is no good without brains.  If you just want to beat people up or knock them off their broom, clear out now.  I want a team that can play together and keep the Cup ours.  Once we got Potter, it was ours again; I'd like to keep it that way.  Names and positions."

 

"Royal Harper, Seeker."

 

"Aodhan Urquhart, Chaser."

 

"Galvin Vaisley, Chaser."

 

"Sebastian Boyle, Chaser."

 

"Ronan Davies, Chaser."

 

"Kevyn Bletchley, Keeper."

 

"Amy Puglia, Keeper."

 

"Mafalda Prewett, Beater."

 

"Not as big of a turnout as I'd hoped," Millicent grumbled.

 

"No one wants to fly for you, Bulstrode," Crabbe sneered from the sidelines. "We're waiting for you to embarrass yourself."

 

Millicent glared at him and then went on, "Boyle, are you Derrick's brother?"

 

The kid winced. "Yes.  I know he's not very bright but I'm a quick study and I love Quidditch."

 

"Davies, you related to that pompous git from Ravenclaw?"

 

"Sadly, yes, I have the misfortune to be related to Rodger, but I'm just as skilled as he is."

 

"Well, get your lazy arses in the air and see if you can score off Kevyn." She was the more talented Keeper and if they could score off her, then they might be worth the chance.  "Vaisley and Urquhart can just cool their heels with Puglia.  Mafalda, you look like you want to blow off steam; go beat up a Bludger for a while."

 

Her fellow Beater nodded, taking up her bat and letting one of the practice Bludgers out to let off some aggression.

 

"Harper, was it?" Millie snidely reached around her to release the snitch. "Well, go do something useful, boy: go Seek. You'll be graded on how many times you bring it back."

 

The shy Slytherin took to the sky to find the snitch.

 

The last two weeks had been rather dreary, with little of the unity that Adrian and Draco had tried to give their House.  Crabbe and Goyle were pure trouble.  Even in the name of House Unity, it was getting difficult to avoid punishing them.

 

"Bletchley, switch with Puglia so Vaisley and Urquhart can have a chance now."

 

Harper wasn't bad, but he wasn't great either.

 

XoooooX

 

Since Coraline hadn't left the stands and neither had Colin, Dennis and Seamus made their way to join them.

 

"What are you still here for, Princess?" Dennis asked nicely.

 

Cora glanced at him before indicating the flying Slytherin Beater. "Mafalda looks upset; even Bulstrode noticed.  I thought I'd wait to see if she'll talk to me. We're supposed to be friends.  I was worried about her."

 

Dennis nodded, understanding.  "I wrote to Cousin Charlie to look into her situation and he will.  He helped us and even put our family back together."

 

Coraline smiled. "Charlie's really nice, protective too. He and Blaise have been through so much and they are strong."

 

"I'd like a relationship like Miss Cissy and Mr Lucius' personally, but I know Colin and Seamus would like one more like Charlie and Blaise," Dennis mused.

 

"Only without having kids so young; I'm not ready yet," Colin said quickly.

 

"This is why we are all glad that we got checked out by Miss Cissy and Madam Black-Tonks after Harry's birthday party; neither of us is ready for parenthood quite yet," Seamus nodded.  He knew that spontaneous pregnancies between bent couples was unusual, which was why they had received morning-after potions, just in case they’d also been exposed to a male pregnancy potion.

 

Seamus winced at one particularly loud crack of a beater’s bat. "Okay, she sounds really mad."

 

"Better the Bludger than a person, right?"  Dennis shook his head.  What was going on in that witch's mind?

 

XoooooX

 

Bulstrode kept an eye on Mafalda, whose temper seemed to get shorter and shorter, and on Harper who might be improving his snitch Seeking skills, as well as picking out the flaws or merits of Puglia, Vaisley and Urquhart.

 

Then there was a nasty crack and the bat broke.  "Really? Why me? Merlin!"

 

"Everyone hit the pitch!  Rogue Bludger!" Millie yelled.

 

Harper yelped and dove.  Puglia used a sticking charm to hold the Quaffle to her broom before heading for the ground, while Vaisley and Urquhart raced each other to the pitch.

 

"Come on, Mal, it will take us both to wrestle it!” Millie shouted, leaping on her broom.

 

"Ha! Wood could do it himself!" Crabbe mocked.

 

"Of course, if it wasn't tearing down sixty feet!  Shut up, Crabbe." Throwing a silencing charm at him and pushing off the ground. "Mal, try to fix your bat!  It won't be perfect but help me corner it!"

 

"You trust me even though I just broke it?"

 

"Yes! Stop feeling sorry for yourself and help me!"

 

"Yes, Captain!"

 

"It's Millie!"

 

"Yes… Millie."

 

The two Slytherin Beaters danced across the pitch together.  Mafalda managed to temporarily repair her bat, using weaker hits this time to extend the life of the bat.  Together Millie and Mafalda fairly trapped the Bludger, driving it down towards the chest. 

 

Once it hit the ground and hovered, Millie leapt on it.  It tried to fight its way out of her grasp.  "Mal, bring the chest here!"

 

Mafalda levitated the chest near them and Millie wrestled it back into the crate, then the two Beaters strapped it in.

 

XoooooX

 

The three Gryffindors and one Ravenclaw started to clap.

 

"Tryouts are over.  I'll post the team roster in the common room," Millie yelled.

 

Immediately the others began to slink off.  Mafalda started to walk away as well.

 

"Not a chance, you're going to talk to me, Mal." Millie spoke sharply to stop her.

 

"Millie…" Mafalda sighed.

 

Millie grumbled, "I might not be your friend, but I am your Captain and we're both Prefects together.  What is the matter with you?  You weren't that violent outside of matches; you saved that kind of fury for Dunbar."

 

Mafalda turned red. "This has nothing to do with that wench."

 

"Really?  Because I saw you glaring at her once you spotted her today on the pitch in her Beater kit." The Slytherin Captain said dryly.

 

"Millie, don't."

 

"You think I'm going to just let you beat yourself up?  That kind of rage is dangerous without proper channelling.  If this was still Draco's team, you think he'd turn a blind eye to this? That wouldn't happen.  Come on, Mal, I need you."

 

"Mal?"

 

Grateful for the distraction, Mafalda turned towards the sound of Coraline running across the pitch.

 

"You were so angry and then the bat broke.  I didn't know you were that strong.  Are you all right?"

 

"I'm fine.  What are you still doing here?"

 

"I wanted to see how practice went.  We weren't spying; I don't have any friends in Ravenclaw anyway."

 

"We're not finished, Mal.  We will talk about this," Millie warned her.

 

Mafalda glared. "If it's a problem, I'll leave the team.  I don't stay where I'm not wanted."

 

"Damn it, Mal.  I don't want that,” Millie said, exasperated.  “I'm actually trying to help.  Surely, you've noticed I don't have any friends either. It's just me and Ebony, my cat.  Daphne spends all her time with Tracey, Pansy is just weird, Elaine spends most of her time studying with her Seventh Year friends and you know what Crabbe and Goyle think of me."

 

"Well, maybe I don't want to talk to either of you. I know your lives aren't perfect; we all know what it's like to be hated.  Well, at least Coraline has never been hated by her parents.  I like playing Beater, I do, but damn it, it shouldn't define who I am," Mafalda snapped.

 

"What you do you mean, define who you are?” demanded Millie. “Are you letting those nasty Muggles mess with your head?"

 

Seamus, Colin and Dennis all frowned at her.  Having grown up in the Muggle world, or at least with strong familial ties to it, they were dismayed by the blind prejudice - hatred, even - so many Magical pers held against it.  Sure, it wasn’t perfect, but neither was the Wizarding world!

 

"I mean her parents,” Millie said impatiently.  “I’m not blind, you know.  It’s not hard to tell they don't care about her.  She never goes home for winter holidays and they never send her presents.  She has the bare minimum she needs for school and only one Quidditch kit, no spare set, since she probably buys her things with a small stipend from the Board of Governors.  It wasn’t hard to figure out that they disapprove of Mal being a Beater, probably because of the usual prejudices.  I get the same thing at home.  My father wishes I was a wizard and my stepmother complains that I'm not a lady.  I hate dresses, thank you, and the only skirts I own are my uniform.  You think I wanted to attend that damn ball with Crabbe?  I wanted to stay in my nice warm bed, thank you, only my stepmother threatened to take away my Hogsmeade privileges if I didn't go."

 

She sneered. "I hate Vince and Greg isn't much better.  The two of them can have a triad with Pansy seeing as how they all deserve one another.  I skipped out on Vince as fast as I could, and then I kept him from becoming a Beater last year.  He actually tried to convince my stepmother over the summer to make me quit the team.  Only the Quidditch Captain and Prefect badges saved me.  So, I know what it's like to have your mother despair over you.  I'll never get a wizard?  Fine; don't want one, thanks.  Especially not Vince, and Greg isn't much more evolved than a flobberworm."

 

"If you don't like wizards, then…" Mal’s voice trailed off.

 

Millie sniffed. "If you're asking if I like witches, yes.  You're cute, Mal, but not my type, nor do I think you like me that way."

 

"I know it's all right for wizards to be couples, but I've not seen a witch couple," Mal stammered.

 

"You weren't at the Yule Ball; there were a few girl couples there.  Dunbar came."  Seamus shrugged.

 

"So, did Professors Vector and Sinistra," Colin offered shyly.

 

"Dunbar probably went with Tolipan," Mal grumbled.

 

Seamus knew that Alice Tolipan and Faye Dunbar were both Gryffindor girls in his year who shared Hermione’s old dormitory.  While he spent most of his time solely with Dean, he was aware of the five, now four, Gryffindor girls who still shared their core studies like Transfiguration or Charms. They were Alice Tolipan, new Prefect Faye Dunbar, Lavender Brown and Pavarti Patil.  Alice was presumed to be a Muggleborn and Seamus had overheard her complain a time or two about her non-functioning Muggle hair dryer.  Tolipan had red hair that she wore in pigtail braids, but wasn’t as obviously a Weasley in appearance as Ron and Ginny were.  Actually, Seamus had no idea if she was related to them at all; after all, red hair did not necessarily a Weasley make, despite what some people seemed to believe.

 

"If you like Faye, why don't you tell her?  No one cares if you do.  Harry and Draco were a couple for a while and best friends even when they played for different Houses," Seamus offered. "Faye's decent. Didn't you notice she replaced Hermione as Prefect? Everyone says that if you two paired up on the field, the Harpies would drool and pay you anything you wanted. You two could probably take on Fred and George."

 

"I'd pay to see that," Millie smirked. "That would be a hell of a match: Cannons vs. Harpies. They have some hot witches playing for the Harpies."

 

"So, who is your type, then?" Dennis chuckled.

 

"Katie isn't bad looking, she cleans up really nice. I really liked how she put know-it-all McLaggen in his place. I like a witch who can look like a lady. Mal's pretty but she's no more ladylike than I am." Millie shrugged, trying to give off an aura of nonchalance.

 

Seamus smirked. "Maybe we can set you two up. I'll see what they think."

 

"You don't think it's weird?" Mafalda frowned at them.

 

"If it's okay for Colin and Seamus, why would it be weird for you?  It's pretty silly to say that they can like each other but you two can't like other witches." Dennis shrugged.

 

"Mal, is your mother that awful?" Coraline frowned.

 

Mal refused to say a word about it.

 

Dennis took her silence as agreement. "Good thing I wrote to Charlie, he realized something was wrong with Dad and got him help.  Dad's doing a lot better now, he's seeing Charlie's dad and they are cute together." Dennis chuckled to himself.

 

Millie made a face. "Are you supposed to use cute and dad in the same sentence?"

 

Dennis smirked. "Who cares?  It's true. I wouldn't mind having another dad. I don't even remember anyone else besides Colin taking care me. Dad was working early hours and slept a lot."

 

"You Prewetts are weird." Millie shook her head. "Well, I'll go shower now."

 

"Wait, Millie, I'll shower too."  The two Slytherin girls left together.

 

Colin and Coraline wrinkled their noses at their boys. "Go shower; you stink."

 

Dennis and Seamus ran off to the Gryffindor locker room to bathe, leaving Colin and Coraline to laugh at them.

 

XoooooX

 

Charity was baby-proofing the house when she heard Kreacher arguing in the drawing room, apparently with himself since there were only the two of them in the house.  That she was aware of anyway.  She pulled out her wand and listened intently.

 

"Kreacher good elf.  Kreacher no do that.  Kreacher lock you up so you couldn't make Kreacher do bad things.  You bad.  Kreacher no want you.  Kreacher good with babies."

 

Charity shivered, clutching her wand. "Kreacher, can you come here?"

 

The elf popped up at her side. "Yes, Mistress Charity?  How Kreacher be helping?"

 

"What were you talking to?"

 

"A locket that Master Regulus wanted Kreacher to destroy.  Kreacher try lots of times but it stuck.  It talk to Kreacher and try to make him do bad things.  Kreacher lock it away, but now it talking again."

 

Charity swallowed. "Kreacher, I want you to go fetch Lucius for me, and Draco."

 

"Yes, Mistress.  For baby's safety, stay away from drawing room."

 

"I will retire to my parlour," Charity nodded, wanting to be as far from the strange locket as possible.

 

XoooooX

 

Draco was in the Vault doing research, writing lists of possible places to find Horcruxes:

 

Known Horcruxes:

Diary of Tom Riddle

Nagini

Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw

Gaunt Ring with Resurrection stone

Harry

 

Suspected Horcruxes:

Slytherin's Locket

 

Destroyed Horcruxes:

Harry

Diary of Tom Riddle 

Nagini

 

Sirius' dreary elf appeared and said in his oily voice, "Mistress Charity be calling for you and Master Lucius."

 

Draco frowned. "About what?"

 

"Master Regulus' locket, Kreacher thinks," Kreacher admitted with shifty eyes.

 

"What does it look like?"

 

"It be silver, on a long chain.  A snake-like s-shape made from emeralds on the front," the smarmy elf described.

 

Draco gasped. "Salazar's locket.  It must be!  Devious Morganna!  Wherever did Cousin Regulus find that?"

 

"He lent Kreacher to the Dark Lord.  When Kreacher didn't come back right away, he summoned Kreacher.  The Dark Lord had left Kreacher for dead.  Master Regulus healed Kreacher and then told Kreacher to take him there.  Ordered Kreacher to destroy the locket.  Then Master Regulus died.  Kreacher tried to destroy locket, but couldn’t."  The house-elf sniffed, his eyes filling with tears.

 

Draco smiled at him.  For all his faults, it was clear that Kreacher had adored Regulus.  "No matter what Sirius said, you're a good elf."

 

Kreacher blinked up at him. "But Kreacher failed."

 

Draco shook his head.  "You didn't, because we know how to destroy it.  We've already destroyed three."

 

Kreacher looked at him with respect and bowed.

 

"Now we must find Father.  He promised to go hunting with me."

 

XoooooX

 

Blaise dozed off after playing with Perseus and Athena.  They were curled up on the play rug surrounded by toys.

 

Blaise blinked his eyes.  Suddenly he was in a sitting room in front of an immensely fat old lady wearing an elaborate ginger wig and a brilliant pink set of robes that flowed all around her, giving her the look of a melting iced cake. She was looking into a small jewelled mirror and dabbing rouge onto her already scarlet cheeks with a large powder puff, while the tiniest and oldest house-elf Blaise had ever seen laced her fleshy feet into tight satin slippers.

 

_"Hurry up, Hokey!" the woman said imperiously. "He said he'd come at four, it's only a couple of minutes to and he's never been late yet!"_

_She tucked away her powder puff as the house-elf straightened up. The top of the elf's head barely reached the seat of Hepzibah's chair, and her papery skin hung off her frame just like the crisp linen sheet she wore draped like a toga._

_"How do I look?" she said, turning her head to admire the various angles of her face in the mirror._

_"Lovely, madam," Hokey squeaked._

Blaise suspected that it was down in Hokey's contract that she must lie through her teeth when asked this question, because this woman looked a long way from lovely in his opinion.  Then again, he had very high taste thanks to his adoptive mother.

 

_A tinkling doorbell rang, making both mistress and elf jump._

_"Quick, quick, he's here, Hokey!" she cried, and the elf scurried out of the room, which was so crammed with objects that it was difficult to see how anybody could navigate their way across it without knocking over at least a dozen things._

What a magpie, Blaise thought.

_There were cabinets full of little lacquered boxes, cases full of gold-embossed books, shelves of orbs and celestial globes, and many flourishing potted plants in brass containers. In fact, the room looked like a cross between a magical antique shop and a conservatory._

Blaise wrinkled his nose in distaste; there was such a thing as too many antiques or furniture. Was this woman completely eccentric?  He felt like he was in a fire-trap.  If a magical fire was left burning, it wouldn't take long for an ashwinder and its eggs to set the place ablaze.

 

_The house-elf returned within minutes, followed by a tall young man Blaise had no difficulty whatsoever in recognizing as Voldemort. He was plainly dressed in a black suit; his hair was a little longer than it had been at school and his cheeks were hollowed, but all of this suited him; he looked more handsome than ever. He picked his way through the cramped room with an air that showed he had visited many times before and bowed low over the woman's fat little hand, brushing it with his lips. "I brought you flowers, Lady Smith," he said quietly, producing a bunch of roses from nowhere._

 

Smith?  Was she related to Zacharias?

_"You naughty boy, you shouldn't have! How many times must I insist you call me Hepzibah?" old Hepzibah squealed, though Blaise noticed that she had an empty vase standing ready on the nearest little table. "You do spoil this old lady, Tom. Sit down. Sit down. Where's Hokey? Ah, there she is."_

_The house-elf had come dashing back into the room carrying a tray of little cakes, which she set at her mistress's elbow._

_"Help yourself, Tom," Hepzibah said. "I know how you love my cakes. Now, how are you? You look pale. I've said it a hundred times that they overwork you at that shop…"_

_Voldemort smiled mechanically, but his eyes seemed dead._

Blaise sneered at him; of course, his eyes were dead. He'd killed no fewer than five people and made three Horcruxes by whatever this time was. 

 

_Hepzibah simpered, batting her lashes. "Well, what's your excuse for visiting this time?"_

_"Mr Burke would like to make an improved offer for the goblin-made armour," Voldemort said. "Five hundred Galleons, which he feels is a more than fair,"_

_"Now, now, not so fast, or I'll think you're only here for my trinkets!" Hepzibah pouted._

_"I am ordered here because of them," Voldemort said quietly. "I am only a poor assistant, madam, who must do as he is told.  Mr. Burke wishes me to inquire - "_

_"Oh, Mr. Burke, phooey!" Hepzibah said, waving her hand dismissively. "I've something to show you that I've never shown Mr. Burke!  Can you keep a secret, Tom?  Will you promise you won't tell Mr. Burke I've got it?  He'd never let me rest if he knew I'd shown it to you, and I'm not selling, not to Burke, not to anyone! But you, Tom, you'll appreciate it for its history, not how many Galleons you can get for it."_

_"I'd be glad to see anything Miss Hepzibah shows me," Voldemort said softly._

_Hepzibah gave another girlish giggle, "I had Hokey bring it out for me.  Hokey, where are you?  I want to show Mr. Riddle our finest treasure.  In fact, bring both while you're at it."_

_"Here, madam," squeaked the house-elf._

 

Blaise saw two leather boxes, one on top of the other, moving across the room as if of their own volition, though he knew the tiny elf was holding them over her head as she wound her way between tables, pouffes, and footstools.

 

_"Now," Hepzibah said happily, taking the boxes from the elf, laying them in her lap, and preparing to open the topmost one, "I think you'll like this, Tom.  Oh, if my family knew I was showing you - never mind, they shan't know.  They can't wait to get their hands on this!"  She opened the lid._

Blaise edged forward a little to get a better view and saw what looked like a small golden cup with two finely wrought handles.

 

_"I wonder whether you know what it is, Tom?  Pick it up, have a good look!" Hepzibah whispered encouragingly._

_Riddle stretched out a long-fingered hand and lifted the cup by one handle out of its snug silken wrappings. Blaise thought he saw a red gleam in his dark eyes.  Riddle's greedy expression was curiously mirrored on Hepzibah's face, except that her tiny eyes were fixed upon Riddle's handsome features._

_"A badger," Riddle murmured, examining the engraving upon the cup. "Then this was - "_

_"Helga Hufflepuff's, as you very well know, you clever boy!" said Hepzibah, leaning forward with a loud creaking of corsets and actually pinching his hollow cheek. "Didn't I tell you I was distantly descended? This has been handed down in the family for years and years.  Lovely, isn't it?  All sorts of powers it's supposed to possess too, but I haven't tested them thoroughly.  I just keep it nice and safe in here…" She hooked the cup back off Riddle's long forefinger and restored it gently to its box, too intent upon settling it carefully back into position to notice the shadow that crossed Riddle's face as the cup was taken away._

_"Now then," said Hepzibah happily, "where's Hokey?  Oh yes, there you are.  Take that away now, Hokey."  The elf obediently took the boxed cup, and Hepzibah turned her attention to the much flatter box in her lap._

_"I think you'll like this even more, Tom," she whispered. "Lean in a little, dear boy, so you can see. Of course, Burke knows I've got this one, I bought it from him, and I daresay he'd love to get it back when I'm gone." She slid back the fine filigree clasp and flipped open the box. There upon the smooth crimson velvet lay a heavy silver locket._

_Riddle reached out his hand, without invitation this time, and held it up to the light, staring at it._

_"Slytherin's mark," he breathed, as the light played upon an ornate, serpentine S decorating the face of the locket._

_"That's right!" said Hepzibah, delighted, apparently, at the sight of Riddle gazing at her locket, transfixed. "I had to pay an arm and a leg for it, but I couldn't let it pass, not a real treasure like that, had to have it for my collection.  Burke apparently bought it from a ragged-looking woman who seemed to have stolen it, but had no idea of its true value."_

There was no mistaking it this time: Riddle's eyes flashed scarlet at the words, and Blaise saw his knuckles whiten on the locket's chain.

 

_"…I daresay Burke paid her a pittance but there you are.  Pretty, isn't it?  And again, all kinds of powers attributed to it, though I just keep it nice and safe." She reached out to take the locket back.  For a moment, Blaise thought Riddle was not going to let go of it, but then it had slid through his fingers and was back in its jade velvet cushion._

_"So, there you are, Tom_ _,_ _dear.  I hope you enjoyed that!" She looked him full in the face then, and for the first time, Blaise saw her foolish smile falter. "Are you all right, dear?"_

 

 _"Oh yes," said Riddle, quietly but with a hard tone in his voice that sent chills up Blaise’s back._ " _Yes, I'm very well."_

 

_"I thought…but just a trick of the light, I suppose." said Hepzibah, looking unnerved, and Blaise guessed that she too had seen the momentary red gleam in Riddle's eyes._

_"Here, Hokey, take these away and lock them up again. The usual enchantments."_

 

Then the vision changed.

 

_It was night, not exactly late but it did seem like it was winter or at least fall so it couldn't be much later than in the previous scene._

 

_The elf Hokey was Imperioed by Riddle while making her mistress' evening cocoa, and then he instructed her to retrieve both locket and cup.  Then her mind was altered to remove the memories of being Imperioed as well as to add the vial of what looked like and smelled like a rare and very deadly poison, which name escaped Blaise at the moment.  Poisons were not his best talent when it came to brewing._

_Riddle watched from the sidelines as Hokey poisoned her mistress.  When the woman died painfully he turned the cup into a Horcrux with that dreadful spell.  Then, with a very smug look on his face, Riddle Apparated away._

The scene changed once more:

_Riddle paced on the coast of the sea, tossing the locket absently from hand to hand._

_"Hey, you!"_

_Turning, Riddle raised an eyebrow, a very Slytherin thing to do, at the man who had come up behind him._

_A filthy tramp held a knife out. "Give me that!  Or I'll kill you."_

_Riddle sneered at him, hissing as his wand leapt into his hand. "I don't think so.  Avada Kedavra.  Dehors hore crùce." The faint look of pain in his features was blurred by the satisfaction of his most recent accomplishment._

 

Blaise could see the gold of the Gaunt ring on Riddle's finger as the man clasped his mother's locket around his neck before Apparating away.

 

XoooooX

 

Draco had Kreacher Apparate him to the Ministry to find his father.  Kreacher was a Black elf but when Draco’s mother, Narcissa, Bonded to Lucius, his father became one of the few non-Blacks the old house-elf could track. Tracking Draco was easier because he was half Black.

 

Lucius was in his office working on papers for the Ministry's finance committee.

 

"Hello, Father.  It's Hunting Time."

 

Lucius went pale. "You found one?"

 

Draco shook his head.  "Regulus found one before he died.  We're merely fulfilling his last wishes."

 

"Really?" Lucius frowned.

 

"Master Regulus died fighting the Dark Lord," Kreacher said sharply.

 

Lucius nodded gravely. "Well, then we'll have to give him a real hero's burial.  A pity we haven't got his body."

 

"Kreacher knows where it is.  Kreacher can find it.  But he is guarded by Inferi." Kreacher shivered.

 

"Take us to the locket and we'll see about rescuing Regulus' body so he can be properly buried.  His cousins, his brother's Bonded, and other family can attend a private funeral.  Though I will ask Amelia if she can give him some sort of award for his services to defeat the Dark Lord," Lucius said as he rose from behind his desk.  He raised his customary locking privacy wards. "Shall we go?"

 

Kreacher took both their arms in his long-fingered hands and Apparated them to Grimmauld.

 

Charity greeted them and bowed. "Lucius, Draco, thank you for responding so promptly.  Kreacher, see that they take it away, please."

 

Draco paused to inquire after her health. "How are you, cousin?"

 

"Better, thank you,” Charity told him with a reassuring, if faint, smile.  “I've been getting the house ready for Faith and James, so Kreacher and I are fixing it up to be more liveable.  I have owl-ordered much of the nursery items, but Ted has been kind enough to bring over some things that were Dora’s.  Severus had my things in Hogwarts moved to a larger First Floor apartment, so I am still close to my classroom and the Great Hall.  He assured me that it has an adjoining room for a nursery."

 

Draco bowed low over her hand. "I will pass on the news to your Head of House." 

 

"Thank him for his support." Charity returned to her magazine.

 

Draco nodded.

 

Kreacher led them from the front parlour to the drawing room upstairs on the first floor.  He gestured at the curio cabinet. "Kreacher stay here.  That locket bad.  It talk to Kreacher and try to make him do bad things.  Kreacher trusts you to destroy it like Master Regulus wanted."

 

"We decided that lead was most suitable.”  Draco looked at Lucius.  “If you would, Father."

 

Lucius nodded and conjured a lead casket.  Draco used his wand to open the curio cabinet and levitated the locket out of the cabinet and into the casket.  Lucius slammed the lid down to drown out the whispers, and then they both cast a number of spells on the casket for protection.

 

"I will take this to the Vault and then we can go retrieve Regulus' body."  Draco snapped his fingers.

 

Dobby showed up at once. "Master Draco be needing Dobby?"

 

Draco nodded. "I need you to take me to the Vault and then back here.  Father, I’ll be back shortly."

 

Dobby nodded, and they disappeared.

 

Draco arrived home to find Blaise staggering in.  "Another vision, brother?" he asked, worried.

 

Blaise scowled at him. "More like three at once. Two Horcruxes."

 

"Which ones?"

 

"The locket I was already suspicious of and Hufflepuff's Cup."

 

"Well, write down the dream in the journal, please.  You can set your mind at ease about the locket." Draco tapped the casket.

 

Blaise swallowed.  "Where on earth did you find that?"

 

"Sirius' house, of all places.  We were given orders to remove it by Charity.  She's putting all her efforts into making the house baby-friendly.  Father and I are going relative hunting."

 

"What?" Blaise frowned.

 

"Apparently, my missing cousin Regulus has been found.  We're going to retrieve his body.  Then we'll hold a private funeral and he can be buried with his relations."

 

Blaise shivered. "I wish you well."

 

Draco squeezed his shoulder.  "Thank you."

 

Dobby then Apparated him back to Grimmauld Place, where Draco shooed him off.  He then turned to face Kreacher. "I know this is very difficult for you, but in the name of the Head of the House of Black, as his Consort and as the cousin of your beloved Regulus, I ask you to take me to where his body lies so that we can retrieve it.  He deserves to be buried with honour, does he not?"

 

The elf blubbered, "Master Draco is a good wizard."

 

Draco bowed and held out his arm, Lucius following suit.  Kreacher, still sobbing, latched onto them both.  They were pulled through odd places attics, cellars and other dark spaces before emerging in a dark, wet cavern that fairly stank of Dark magic.

 

Kreacher pointed at a basin.  "Nasty stuff.  Almost killed Kreacher and killed Master Regulus.  Regulus died there."

 

"Where is he then?" Lucius snapped.

 

Draco glared at him.

 

Kreacher shivered. "The water.  With the rest of the bodies."

 

"Get Regulus."

 

"The Inferi, Master…" Kreacher whinged.

 

Draco was smug. "I'll handle the Inferi.  Go."  Kreacher dove into the dark water.

 

Lucius frowned.  "Draco, now is not the time to be cocky."

 

"Cocky, Father?” Draco said dismissively. “I taught Defence to the entire House. I don't call that cocky, I call that initiative.  Now I am only following the dictates of the centaurs who have blessed our endeavours by teaching Blaise."

 

Lucius groaned.

 

Kreacher emerged from the icy water, screaming.  His arms cradled a limp body, arms and legs dangling, the head lolling against the old house-elf’s shoulder.

 

Draco and Lucius called out, "Lumos!" 

 

They were on an island at the centre of a dark underground lake. White hands clawed at the rocks, then dozens of bodies with decaying clothes emerged from the waters and began climbing the rocks and surrounding them.

 

Draco spotted the basin full of potion and threw an empty vial at his father.  "Take a sample of that potion.  I want Severus to test it."

 

"Why do you have this?" Lucius scowled, catching it immediately.

 

Draco raised an eyebrow, "Would Severus' best student not have empty vials on him?"

 

Lucius snorted but turned to the task.

 

Wandless, Draco held up his hands in a posture that made him look defenceless.  He smirked at the army of Inferi and called out the name of a spell known to very few.  Technically it was classified as Grey, not Dark, so Draco felt comfortable using it. 

 

Magic radiated out from him, with smoking flames attacking the basin of potion and ring of Inferi. It burnt through the water of the lake, reducing it to steam.

 

"Draco, what have you done?" Lucius turned, casting his eyes about in horror.

 

"No time, Father, we've got to go!" He cast a stasis charm on his cousin and then the Incarcerous. He tied the body to himself and pocketed the potion. "Kreacher!  Get us out of here before the cavern destroys itself."

 

The weeping elf Apparated them back to Grimmauld.  The two Malfoys were more than pleased to be anywhere but the cavern.

 

"Later you will explain that to me," Lucius snapped.

 

Draco nodded sharply. "Now, Kreacher, I'm going to take Regulus away with me."

 

"No, mustn't," Kreacher begged.

 

"Kreacher, I'm going to give him to Mother and Aunt Annie.  They are Healers and his cousins.  They'll see that he is prepared for burial. You want him to look nice, don't you?"

 

The bereaved house elf sobbed, nodding.

 

"Come on, Father.  Portkey or Floo?"

 

"Best not to take a decomposing corpse through the floo.  I'm sure that someone will complain, and it might accelerate the decomposition.  I'll make an emergency portkey.  We'll store him in the ritual chamber beneath the Manor until your mother finds an appropriate place to deal with the body."  Lucius pulled out a handkerchief and tapped it with his wand.  "Portus."

 

They took hold of it at once and were dragged by the navel to the ritual chamber where they reluctantly left the body of his cousin.

 

Draco went to find his mother in the music room.  He remained outside the door so as not to spread the taint of death or Dark magic on the innocent.

 

Narcissa frowned at him, puzzled.  "Draco darling, why won't you come in?"

 

“I don't wish to interact with the children until I bathe and destroy these clothes."

 

"Why, son?"

 

"I had an altercation with a Horcrux and Inferi in a cavern filled with Dark magic."

 

She rose to come near him.

 

Draco threw up a light shield.  "No, Mother, I am fine.  I destroyed the Inferi without injury.  We already had the Horcrux, we went into that cave to bring you closure."

 

Narcissa frowned. "Closure?"

 

"He means that we can now put Regulus to rest where he belongs, my dear." Lucius had come up behind Draco.

 

"You have his body?" Narcissa gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.

 

"We retrieved it.  He is worse for the wear, having lain in frigid water with Inferi for, what?  Eighteen years? However, I believe between you and Aunt Annie you can clean him up some, so he can be laid to rest in the Black Vault with his brother and ancestors," Draco told her gently.

 

Narcissa let out a weak sob.  "Where is he?"

 

"The ritual chamber, my dear.  Only until you find a suitable place to prepare the body," Lucius said, at Draco's shoulder.  "I'm going to freshen up."

 

"I'll be heading home, Mother.  Thank Aunt Annie for us."   

 

"So how did Regulus do it?  Annie told me about the letter.  What did he do to betray the Dark Lord? How did he become an enemy?"

 

"He stole a Horcrux.  We have it and probably destroyed the chamber it was taken from.  We have Regulus' body and I'm going home.  Blaise came by already.  We're closer."

 

"Be safe, my son," Narcissa said from behind the shield.

 

Draco scurried off to the nearest floo, planning to shower, destroy his clothes, dress, and spend time with the children to cleanse himself.

 

 

  
 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?


	19. Saying goodbye to the unlikely hero

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter if for shealinn. Rest assured Truth has no been abandoned. It just is being very difficult to wrangle. I will try my best to be more diligent in updating.

Title: The Truth Behind the Name and the Lies pt. 6  
Pairing: DracoxHarry, OliverxPercy, twincest?  
Fandom: HP  
Notes: An abused boy finds out he's a wizard and a hero; his tormented mind rebels. One person sees through the misconceptions to the real Harry and treats him the way he deserves. How does this change them both and those around them?

 

Chapter 19- Saying goodbye to the unlikely hero

 

Narcissa and Andromeda prepared Regulus for burial.

 

Narcissa had attended the burial of her uncle and father who perished close to Regulus.

 

Cygnus and Orion Black had grown up best friends, something like herself and Regulus. They had been born only a few months apart, unlike herself and her favourite cousin.

 

Evan Rosier on her mother’s side was a Dark Wizard from an early age and had a huge crush on Bella. Sirius was a twit who had little use for a witch he couldn’t fancy. Even if they were barely a month and a half apart in age so they were often thrown together unfortunately.

 

Regulus and herself were the least and last of the Blacks. Narcissa was the strange one given her colouring and her lack of talent with Dark Magic. Being the bud of two Dark Families she ought to have had the gift, yet it skipped her. Blame was placed on her Dearborn grandfather and her Pucey grandmother since both were notoriously neutral with no natural affinity to Light or Dark Magic.

 

Regulus was the ‘spare’, a second son with no prospects until Sirius was disowned. He was forced to distinguish himself from a young age to ‘prove his worth’. He became a Seeker his Third Year and made his own mark. Unlike Sirius he didn’t stand out by being as un-Black as possible, instead he chose to prove how Black he was. He took classes that tested and moulded him, with high marks in Ancient Runes, Charms and Defence. He had an unhappy talent with hexes that made him a valuable pawn to the Death Eaters so he was inducted into their ranks at a young age at Bellatrix’s encouragement. In his eagerness to prove himself, he had taken on more then he could handle.

 

His disappearance and proclaimed death on the tapestry had caused her such anguish and had delayed her bonding to Lucius. Lucius had helped her recover from her grief and she had chosen Draco not just because of her Black heritage but also because it was Regulus’ favourite constellation. She wasn’t able to use his name because the grief was so crushing.

 

Bellatrix had attended but made scathing comments about how he was a fool and probably got himself killed because he was weak or he was a coward like Uncle Marius and killed himself.

 

She had needed Andromeda but couldn’t go to her and was forced to turn to Lucius and it helped strengthen the love between them. Regulus had helped them forge a strong bond…

 

He had given her Draco…

 

XoooooX

Andromeda hadn’t been allowed to attend Regulus’ memorial because she had been thrown out. Her aunt had barred her from her parents’ funerals as well; now that she was the Regent of the House of Black, she could mourn her parents properly.

 

To her this was more than just Regulus’ funeral, it was a way of properly saying goodbye to the parents who gave her life and her uncle Orion who was her father’s dearest friend.

 

Sometimes as a child she’d seen them together, to this day she’d wondered if there had been more than friendship between them. There was no affection between Walburga and Orion, little still between Drusilla and Cygnus. It mattered not but hopefully whatever their relationship her father and uncle were happy having passed to the Veil so close together.

 

She and Harry would lead the funeral assisted by Narcissa and Lucius.

 

Having never bonded or changed his name, Regulus was a Black and only a Black had the right of this ceremony.

 

Had Sirius still been alive than he would have assisted her, given the animosity between the Black brothers it was probably best that Sirius had passed as well

 

XoooooX

The Heads of the Black Family, Harry and Andromeda were dressed in green and black respectively, were to conduct the ceremony. Their assistants, Narcissa and Draco were dressed in red and black, were to assist, act as ushers and lead part of the funeral rite.

 

The ritual space of the Black Family Mausoleum was prepared with a candle at each of the cardinal directions and two flanking the main altar. Regulus’ body was laid out at the main altar.

 

The extended Black, Potter and Malfoy family were expected to wait at the edge of the ritual space, while Andromeda who served as the ceremony’s Priestess began to sweep out the Circle widdershins (counter-clockwise) while concentrating and grounding herself. She then replaced the ancient broom lengthwise at the foot of the main altar, pick up the sword and cast the Circle widdershins while saying:

 

"This is a place which is not a place in a time which is not a time halfway between the worlds of the Living and of Dead. Come family of the deceased Regulus Cygnus Black and though we have no body it seems wise to put his brother to rest now."

 

Andromeda as Priestess took Harry who was serving as the Priest by the hands and pulled him into the Circle. They turn in a half-turn widdershins as he entered and then he pulled in Draco who then led his mother into the circle and so on until everyone is in the Circle.

 

After which Andromeda took up the sword and closes off the ‘doorway’ by making it glow and hover preventing others from joining them. A glowing shield rose encircling them.

 

Then they began to call the directions Widdershins, beginning with the West. The assistants assisted them in this and the directions had been assigned ahead of time.

 

Harry took his place in the West and held up his hand, "As the sun sets, so our friend has left us. The water of our tears like the salt water of the sea, and Life the water of our mother's womb, bless this Circle."

 

Narcissa had moved to the South, her eyes wet with tears spoke, "As life is a day, so our friend has passed into the night. The fire of our life, the memories and courage, the strength given to us by our friend blesses this Circle."

 

Draco stood in the East, "As all that falls shall rise again, so our friend will be reborn. They are the air we breathe, this treasure of our life, the compassionate caring we give each other blesses this Circle."

 

Andromeda stood in the North, "As the Earth forms us so our friend shall return to the earth. Our Mother feeds us and clothes us. She gives us everything and in the end she takes our bodies back. And Earth blesses this Circle."

 

The Priestess and Priest recognized the presence magic, Earth and Chaos in the Circle and specifically heighten their own awareness of the presence of the divine, acting from the divine part of themselves through the ritual.

 

Harry spoke again moving towards the altar his hands still raised, "Mother Earth you are the Goddess, as are all women. You give birth and have given this gift to your children. You feed the inhabitants of the world from your own body and You take them back for a new birth. World without end, eternal creation."

 

Andromeda met him at the altar, "Father Chaos you are the God, as are all men. You are born. You live and You die, only to be born again. All-Father, All-Destroyer, ruler of the land of the dead."

 

Together they joined their hands and intoned, "Birth and death." Repeating the phrase in unison three times.

 

Then Andromeda turned and addressed the corpse, "You are dead. None should ever die alone. I am here to help you with your passing Cousin. There is only love, the greatest Mystery. I reach behind my fear. I open my heart and my eyes in the light of this love."

 

"Our lives are formed of many others and we form other lives in turn. And when we are here with you after you die, we honor your life." Harry turned to Sirius’ brother whom he had never known as he spoke.

 

Andromeda’s voice rose filling the chamber, "There is only love. The love of the Goddess gives birth to the universe. The love of our parents gives birth to us. The love of our friends and family sustains our life. Kindness, love and pleasure – we are formed from these and we form each other. When we die we leave them behind us."

 

"You have left your family. You have left sex and even gender. You cannot be a woman or a man and enter the other world. You have left behind your body. None who have bodies can pass into the other world." Harry said gently.

 

"The earth is taking you back now, the Great Mother. Her womb is the Earth that will receive your body. Your body is a seed now, a seed of other lives." Andromeda blinked away her tears, "In a sacred space we have gathered to honor you and to give you some things to take on the journey with you."

 

Harry addressed the Circle, "Please come up now if you can and speak of Regulus. Tell him whatever you need to. Help him in the journey into the Veil."

 

Narcissa stepped forward, her hand over her breast, “I was always fond of Lucius but he wasn’t to be mine. Then your mother announced that I was to be given to the Malfoy family to fulfill Andromeda’s contract to regain our honour. I was happy; pained at the loss of a beloved sister but glad to have the man I cared for. Then the news came that you were gone, you had died. Lucius came to me in my despair and pain. He helped me; because you had left us we created a strong bond even in those dark days. Lucius came to love me. I named Draco after your favorite constellation cousin. He is here because of you. I find it extremely fitting that my beloved son gave you back to me and that I can be here to truly say goodbye.”

 

Lucius came to her and embraced her, “I was not always as good of a prefect as I should have been. I looked after Severus and often you fell out of my sights. I am sorry for that. Perhaps, if I had tried harder to look after you when I knew that Andromeda could not and Bellatrix would not, you might be here. I would not trade my family for anything. I am grateful that Narcissa let me in when she was weak and needed comfort. I suppose I owe you thanks. Your sacrifice was what helped me find someone worthy in Narcissa.”

 

Draco joined his parents, “I rarely heard your name before. You were always called mother’s favorite cousin. Named for your favorite constellation is something I never knew. I wish I could have known you. If you are watching us then please know that I have taken on your quest. I will finish what you started cousin. We’ll take down the Dark Lord and avenge you.”

 

Charity waddled up, “I was always watching Sirius, I loved him from the first. You and I were in the same year but never spoke. I saw him watching you when we were in school. He was proud in his own way of you. He rejoiced in your Quidditch successes and he would have been proud of you in the end. Both of you passed doing your part to defy an evil man. I will take care of your Kreacher and see that he is treated well.”

 

Severus and Remus shared their memories of Regulus, and wished him well.

 

Andromeda sighed, “We were the most alike weren’t we? We kept to ourselves and kept our own counsels. I took a different path, choosing to turn my back on the family as did Sirius. It was cruel of us, wasn’t it? We left you and Narcissa alone to bear our family’s hopes and ambitions. You were gentle like father weren’t you? I hope you found love and knew how it felt to be loved before the end. You were kind to even house elves and terribly fond of old Kreacher. He still cares for you and mourns your loss. We will keep him on in remembrance. In the end you too decided to choose your own path. For that I applaud you. It takes strength to stand up to family. I hope you find happiness cousin.”

 

When they had finished and no one else came forwards Harry then addressed the body,"I will remember you at Samhain and bless you then."

 

Samhain was the day his parents died as well and he would add Regulus to the list of people he prayed for and spent a moment of silence in remembrance for.

 

The circle then began to chant, quietly:

 

"We all come from the Earth and to Her we shall return like a drop of rain falling to the ocean. We all come from Chaos and through Him we are reborn. Corn and grain, corn and grain. All that falls shall rise again."

 

Andromeda held her hand over Regulus’ body, "Journey on now, cousin. We will follow when we can. May you be born again at the same time and in the same place as those you knew and loved in this life. May you know them again and love them again."

 

From her hand came fire and it consumed the body on the altar as well as it’s wrappings.

 

A large door opened behind the altar and a silver urn emerged. It fell through the shield and landed in Harry’s out stretched hands.

 

The ashes drifted into the urn and it sealed itself.

 

Emblazoned were the words:

 

Regulus Cygnus Black

B. 3 Nov 1960

D. 10 Aug 1977

 

Draco returned to the East, "The Sun will rise again."

 

Harry moved to the South, "Life continues."

 

Narcissa sniffed from the West, "Love is all that we can be sure of."

 

Andromeda intoned from the North, "Only the Mother is eternal." She held out her hand and the sword that guarded the entrance to the circle returned to her and the shield lowered.

 

A pillar candle had been lit while the ashes filled the urn and was left to burn while the crowd files out of the Circle.

 

They entered the crypt filled with urns that contained the ashes of their ancestors.

 

Harry held the urn cradled in his palms.

 

Draco took his place on the East side of the room, "We welcome the spirits of the Ancestors and the honored dead not yet reborn."

 

From the South Harry spoke, "We welcome our heroes and inspirations."

 

Narcissa had composed herself as she claimed the West, "We welcome the Ancestors to incarnate in our children and grandchildren and in our families."

 

Andromeda called from the North, "We welcome our deaths and our lives."

 

The urn was returned to it’s place and beside it gleamed that of his parents and brother.

 

They had already prepared the small altar in the vault’s centre.

 

Andromeda and Harry chorused, "It is not we that bless this food and drink but it which blesses us. In its nature it nourishes our bodies, in sharing food and drink we create community."

 

Each mourner took a drink from the chalice and poured a drop onto the urn. Then they torn a bit of cake and sprinkled the crumbs over the urn as well. When all had finished the mourners file out of the mausoleum and return to the grounds of Grimmauld Place.

 

The directions were dismissed quietly with an informal thanks by Andromeda, Harry and Narcissa. Then they head back to the reception in the repaired dining room.

 

A glass of wine and the leftover cakes were left behind in the vault on the altar.

 

More stories were shared by Narcissa, Severus and Andromeda as part of the funeral ritual.

 

Kreacher tearfully offered stories of Regulus’ childhood before Hogwarts as well.

 

Once the meal at the wake was eaten they parted ways to spend the rest of the day in silent contemplation.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?


	20. Of arguements, stubborness, romance, curveballs and maternal devotion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the lateness! This chapter is for Of_Stories_Told who was extremely excited about this series and left wonderful comments.

Chapter 20

 

Harry spent the entire day after Regulus’ funeral caring for his children and contemplating Draco’s words to his deceased cousin.

 

Draco had taken up Regulus' quest...

 

Did that mean he was destroying Horcruxes?

 

Wasn’t his own and the diary bad enough? Did he have to go looking for dangers? While he wasn’t close to Sirius, the idea of his godfather’s children growing up without a father was terrible. He would be furious if he lost Draco…

 

He fell asleep in the nursery curled up on the hearth rug with his arms around Orion and Creon behind him.

 

His first reaction when Draco woke him frowning the next morning was anger. Harry softly called for Dippy and told her to keep an eye on his babies. Other then the night he’d ordered Draco away from him in a temper, the night before the Second Task and the night before they were bonded, they hadn’t really slept apart…

 

Dippy nodded.

 

Harry gave Draco such a fierce glare that his bonded stumbled back. He hissed, “Don’t you dare run away from me Draco Malfoy.”

 

Draco frowned, “What are you talking about? Why would I run?”

 

“You thought I wouldn’t find out?” Harry hissed.

 

Draco winced, “Find out what?”

 

“We’re not arguing in front of Artemis and Triton.” Harry glared before flouncing off and making his way to Draco’s study, which was on the floor beneath the nursery. He was pleased to see an elf waiting with tea, coffee and toast.

 

“Thank you Dobby.”

 

The elf bowed and left with a pop.

 

Harry took Draco’s favourite chair for himself, calmly poured himself coffee, “Now are you going to tell me the truth?”

 

Draco frowned, “What did you find out? What are you expecting me to tell you?”

 

“You thought I wouldn‘t figure it out?  I’m not an idiot! Or have you forgotten who you bonded to?” Harry growled.

 

“You’re Harry, we were born soulmated. You’re the bearer of my children, my partner, my consort, my equal and the holder of my heart? How could I forget?” Draco was stunned at the question.

 

“How could you do this? How could you put our family in danger like this?” Harry fumed slamming his cup on the table shattering it.

 

Dobby appeared immediately to deal with the resulting mess, tending to it silently before vanishing.

 

“I’ve done nothing of the sort.” Draco frowned.

 

“Horcruxes! You think I don’t know what they are? I was one, and so was that damn diary!” Harry glared.

 

“Harry I love you but we’re at war! You-Know-Who split his soul in an attempt at immortality. As long as those soul fragments are still protected in their vessel he can’t die. I’m not rushing headlong into danger! I’m not going alone. We know what they are! You were an accident, it happened after I deflected the Killing Curse. You have to commit a heinous act to split your soul to make one. He killed your parents and tried to kill you, but you were innocent and your parents sacrificed themselves to protect you. When his soul split, it attached itself to you. His first was the diary, then a ring, the rest- well at least three of them were Founders’ possessions: Ravenclaw’s diadem, Hufflepuff’s Cup and Salazar’s locket! We can’t be sure he didn’t get a possession of Gryffindor’s; only two remain outside of the descendants’ possession; the Sorting Hat and the Sword of Gryffindor.”

 

“Neville’s sword?” Harry scowled.

 

“You’re free from his soul fragment’s taint, the diary is destroyed and the locket is in our possession. We obtained it safely, no doubt protecting Charity and her children from it. We haven’t destroyed it yet, thought we know just about everything about Horcruxes. I haven’t done anything terribly dangerous, I didn’t bite off more then I could handle either. I promised not to go anywhere alone,” Draco said stubbornly.

 

“Who is helping you?” Harry snapped.

 

“Who do you think?” Draco said evasively.

 

“Hermione for research, you’re probably using Blaise to see into the past, leaving your father Lucius and papa to go hunting.” Harry said bitterly.

 

Draco winced.

 

“I’m still angry with you. I don’t want to know what might happen to me if you were killed.” Harry scowled.

 

“You’re the bloody Boy Who Lived, what would happen to me if you died to defeat the Dark Lord?” Draco retorted.

 

“Are you the slightest bit remorseful?” Harry asked.

 

“No, because I know I’m doing the right thing.”

 

“Fine.” Harry said coldly as he rose to leave.

 

“Bloody Hell Adder I’m sorry you can’t see this my way. I wanted you not to have to worry or be suspicious that every time I left that I’d be going Horcrux Hunting.” Draco said hurrying after him to grab his hand.

 

“I’m your bonded, your consort and the bearer of your heirs, I’m _supposed_ to worry!” Harry snapped as he roughly tugged his hand free.

 

“I’m sorry I upset you but I have to do this! If you’re supposed to eliminate the Dark Lord I have to make sure he’s weak enough that you survive!” Draco fumed.

 

“Then talk to me! Let’s plan out our war together! Don’t leave me out of things!” Harry growled.

 

Draco swallowed, lust in his face. “Alright.”

 

Harry threw up his hands, “You’re incorrigible!”

 

“I can’t help it if you’re sexy when you’re mad.” Draco mumbled.

 

“I wish you would sit down, shut up and bloody well listen to me!” Harry fumed.

 

To both of their surprise, Draco was flung into his hastily vacated chair and found that his mouth was seemingly sealed shut while his hearing was surprisingly sharper.

 

“I maybe your consort in more then just name but damn it Draco my concerns are valid too! You can’t just distract me with sex! I thought we were equals damn it! Just because I’m more comfortable taking the submissive role in bed doesn’t mean you can ignore me! I bonded to you because I loved you and I thought you respected me. Keeping something like this from me wasn’t fair. You don’t even have to grace to be sorry, you’re not even sorry that your reticence hurt me. I thought we already established that prophecies aren’t always to be taken literally? What makes you think I could kill the Dark Lord? So what if he made Horcruxes? Why should it be our responsibility to deal with? We maybe graduated and legally adults but war shouldn’t be our business even if I am the Boy-Who-Lived!” Harry paced, ranting at the magically struck dumb Draco…

 

Draco was awed, trusting your magic indeed. Though he very much doubted that this was quite what the Centaur meant…

 

XoooooX

 

Hermione was stretched lazily out on her beach her cheek laid on her arm.

 

Viktor was rubbing sun protection potion onto her bared back, neck, shoulders and legs.

 

“We’re going to have to return to Britain soon…” Hermione mused in Russian.

 

“Yes. Pity…I was enjoying this time.” Viktor observed as he gave her body a critical eye to make sure that he didn’t miss any skin.

 

“Mm…” maybe being married so young wasn’t terrible, Hermione mused. Then again Fiji was utterly romantic and Viktor was sweet.

 

XoooooX

 

Harry had made the paper arrangements for Bellatrix’s estate, which would pass to the boy that would be her son when he was of age.

 

Andromeda had finally received the list of vaults, a summary of the worth of the Lestrange Estate, which surprisingly included much of Knockturn Alley and a list of registered magical artefacts owned by the Lestrange family.

 

She proceeded to look the reports over, after all the Lestrange Estate would become the Black-Tonks estate and it would be entailed upon neither the male nor the female line. Therefore it would pass to the more worthy descendant according to the Head’s choice.

 

Andromeda was rather excited not only to become the Head of her own House but also to have the authority to seize the gifts that Bella had wasted.

 

"Well? Are you satisfied witch?" Griphook grumbled.

 

Andromeda ignored his mood, "Quite."

 

Sancus Malfoy, a first cousin of Lucius' and one of her former prefects from the year she was Head Girl, was the solicitor that Lucius had retained for the Black, Black-Tonks, Burbage-Black and Potter estates since they all originally fell under Andromeda's authority.

 

Sancus blushed, "Like always, its a honour Lady Andromeda."

 

"There is the slight issue of the Bulstrode heiress." Griphook scowled.

 

Andromeda blinked, "What? Who is that?"

 

"Rabastan Lestrange's daughter with," Sancus offered.

 

"Malcolm? I remember Malcolm being in Bella's year with Rabastan. I wasn't close to them, Bella was though. I wasn't aware Malcolm and Rabastan were Bonded. Was she given any inheritance from the Lestrange estate?" Andromeda frowned.

 

"Lestranges aren't very giving to their heiresses." Griphook sneered. "Lady Richelle and Lady Ravenna were practically sold to the Averys and the Belbys. If Lady Millicent were under Lestrange authority, she likely would have been sold to the Notts. For your sake its extinction in the male line is a boon. The lot of them were half mad.."

 

Andromeda mused, "Do you know why Rabastan and Malcolm's bonding contract was suspended?"

 

Griphook let out a mirthless laugh, "Likely to avoid the wrath of the Longbottoms, after all both the Lestrange brothers and Lady Bellatrix were involved in the attack on the Longbottom Aurors. He was soon rebound to a pureblood witch, Evan Rosier's widow. Their union produced no children but it gave Lady Milicent a mother, yet neither blood Bulstrodes are close to Lady Druella Rosier. It is what you Slytherins call an 'open secret'."

 

"I see. Who would be Lady Milicent's guardian? Her aunts? Stepmother? Godparents?" Andromeda pressed.

 

"Madam Aurora Greengrass and Micheal Burke were her godparents. Lady Ravenna Belby and Lady Richelle Avery have no custody claim legally, no more so then the stepmother Miranda." Griphook sneered.

 

"Burke is dead I believe." Sancus mused, "I know that Aurora dislikes Bulstrode and the Lestranges these days. I doubt she would be amenible to taking Millie in."

 

"How much has the Bulstrode estate set aside for her?" Andromeda asked thoughtfully.

 

"Like the Lestrange estate, the Bulstrode estate is entailed upon the male of a line. Other then her trust vault and bride price, much is held in trust for her son." Griphook shrugged, then he grinned maniacally, "Unless..." 

 

"Unless what?" Andromeda snapped.

 

"You use her sire's blood to claim the estate, thus granted it to the younger twin."

 

Andromeda gaped at him, "Younger twin?"

 

"Here and I was under the impression that you had become a birth healer. Surely you didn't miss an entire infant."

 

Andromeda groaned, "Salazar's Cauldron! How did you know?"

 

"Both the Blacks and Lestranges have a copy of their family tree tapestry in their main vault that does not reflect disownment. Both show twins, one clearly sired by Master Rabastan and the other by Tom Riddle."

 

To Andromeda's surprise, the goblin held out a roll of parchment, "The report on Riddle's unclaimed inheritance. I suspect polyjuice, if the rumours of how Riddle received a body are true I doubt he could sire a child in his current state.”

 

Andromeda shakingly accepted the parchment, placing her estate reports in the pocket of her robe before speaking woodenly, “Thank you Griphook.”

 

Andromeda made her way stunned to the floos and then flooed to her office in St. Mungos.

 

XooooooX

 

Sure Narcissa was pregnant but that didn’t matter at all.

 

She looked on Hermione as a surrogate daughter, the girl was off on her honeymoon and she was a lady of the manor not a housewife so she had time to help Hermione’s Aunt-in-law Bisera Krum ready the house that Harry had give Hermione as a wedding present.

 

Well he’d offered it to the Krums who bought Faire Fields from him at a reasonable price.

 

Between her and Bisera they’d furnished the house comfortably but with neutral furniture with the exception of the nursery and the master suite that was furnished with copies of the furniture that Hermione had chosen for her room at Wisteria Meadows.

 

They had taken the duty of decorating Hermione and Viktor’s home with glee.

 

Hermione had taken the gift of sketches for the nursery from the Patil sisters and had marked the ones that she preferred so they had borrowed Dean the weekend after Hermione’s wedding to paint the nursery.

 

It was a comfortable home in relaxing greens and blues with honey stained oak furniture.

 

The two witches were confident that the newlyweds would love the home, after all Bisera was Viktor’s godmother and Hermione was practically a daughter to Narcissa.

 

They did one last walk-through and gave last orders to the house elves that were bought along with the house by the Krums.

 

Arm in arm the two witches made their way to Faire Field’s front parlour where they hugged before Bisera flooed back to her Bulgarian apartment.

 

Narcissa was the last to leave Faire Field, she had wanted to make sure that Hermione would be happy here and she was confident that she’d done so.

 

After Regulus’ funeral, Narcissa had thrown herself into the house project to work through her reawakened grief.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?
> 
> A/N: Did anyone see the Drarry fight coming? How about the Bella curveball? Anyone who has read I did not sleep with that wizard! or Chosen Darkness probably suspected Millie's parentage despite her comment about her 'mother'. I thought you'd like the peek into Hermione's honeymoon and the fixing up of the house that the Krums bought from Harry...


	21. Dark Witches, stubborness, a vision and a Slugparty

Chapter 21

 

Once Andromeda recovered from the shocking revelations at Gringotts’ she flooed to St. Mungos to verify for herself that Bella had twins…

 

Despite the ‘trauma’ of duelling or Apparating while pregnant, her mad sister’s foetuses seemed to be quite healthy and strong.

 

Before Andromeda could come to a decision about what to do with the entire Lestrange estate or even the subordinate Bulstrode estate she had to meet with Millicent.

 

So she’d requested a meeting over breakfast in Severus’ office, Severus as Headmaster still took some getting used to. Even though he deserved it more then anyone…

 

Severus and Remus greeted her as she exited the floo in Severus’ new office.

 

“It seems like you’ve settled in nicely.” Andromeda observed.

 

“I have.”

 

“I’m going to pop into the Manor with Ary and Luke.” Remus said with a slightly weary expression, “I’ll be back in time for first lesson. Hopefully, Narcissa doesn’t try to feed me.”

 

Andromeda smirked, a pregnant Narcissa was more super mom then her usual self surprisingly.

 

The sound of the floo almost drownt the sound of the moving staircase that was likely bearing Millicent Bulstrode closer.

 

The witch had a presence that reminded Andromeda a little of herself as well as possessing the sort of aura that Nymphadora had; her first impression of Millicent Bulstrode was that she was a highly intelligent witch who likely knew quite a bit about the Dark Arts, she was a prefect and a Quidditch captain who most probably played as a Beater.

 

The Sixth Year Slytherin witch scowled, “And you would be Andromeda Black-Tonks?”

 

Andromeda gestured for her to take a seat in one of Severus’ armchairs.

 

Millicent sat gingerly and then crossed her arms scowling, “What do you want?”

 

“Given the death of both your fathers,”

 

The witch flinched, “Rabastan never once treated me as a daughter and Malcolm wasn’t much better. They both wanted a son and that was the only reason they bonded. After Rabastan was arrested, Malcolm suspended their contract and quickly bonded to Miranda Rosier giving me a prissy stepsister who irritates me to no end. Although I call her mother, I don’t really have any attachment to her. Don’t call me Millicent, I prefer Millie. I’m a witch, who is attracted to fit witches and I’m legally screwed because I can’t inherit a Salazar damned thing. I love that bookshop, it’s my home, and I spent hours in the reading room instead of going to primary school. Unlike Drusilla, I don’t flit away time with my girly friends playing dress-up or marriage. I like Quidditch but I don’t want to play professionally even if Gwenog Jones offered me a contract on a silver platter. I can’t inherit that bookshop and it breaks my heart. I haven’t a brother and the closest male relative I’ve got is Marcus Belby. He’s fat and lazy so he’d sooner sell it then cherish it!”

 

“Then granting it to your half-brother would be a huge mistake.” Andromeda mused.

 

Millie scowled, “What? I knew that Rabastan bonded to Aunt Bella in the hopes of conceiving an heir even if she was obsessed with the Dark Lord…”

 

“Well whatever they decided worked.” Andromeda shrugged. “Now I’m going to blood adopt those boys, I would like to offer you a choice.”

 

Millie frowned, “What sort of choice?”

 

“If you don’t make a stink about my seizing the Bulstrode Estate, I’m going to be refilling it under a different name, perhaps Tonks…then again it may be Black-Tonks I haven’t decided yet. If you agreed to join my House, complete with Blood adoption I’ll let you pick which surname inherits the shop and I’ll register you as the bookshop’s heir.”

 

“I let you adopt me and seize the Bulstrode estate, then you’ll make me the heir to the shop?” Millie blinked.

 

“If you don’t believe me, I’ll have Severus here bind us with the Unbreakable Vow.”

 

“Can you kick Miranda and Drusilla out? I’d prefer they went back to a Rosier place. “

 

Like a true Slytherin, Millie demanded the Unbreakable Vow to be sure that Andromeda kept her word.

 

Once that was over Andromeda smirked, “Now, as my soon-to-be second daughter I’ll give you the option of not only picking the name of your new House but also your own name.”

 

“I’ve gotten too used to Millie…” Millie muttered, “but I’m not fond of the name Regan.”

 

“I know the Lestranges had a habit of giving their children ‘R’ names…you’ll welcome to pick a celestial or Hebrew name with that in mind or you can just pick any name you want as long as it’s celestial or Hebrew.” Andromeda shrugged.

 

“Since I’m spitting on both my fathers I don’t suppose it matters much.”

 

Andromeda smirked, “I had better names planned if I had biological children after Dora. I was drugged when I picked her name and by the time I sobered up Nymphadora had stuck. I was planning on Persephone Abigail Tonks; I hadn’t planned on going into emergency labour in the middle of Transfiguration. Part of the reason I eloped was because I was pregnant and I wasn’t going to bond to Lucius to make it go away. When we returned. I was far enough along that both potions and Transfiguration had to become all theory and written mostly. I managed to get Slughorn to agree that if Ted who wasn’t taking Potions managed to brew potions that passed thanks to my direction and I used a bubblehead charm in class I could continue. Luckily I had given birth in time to take my potions and Transfiguration NEWT exams.”

 

“Well if you were to pick a name for me what would it be?” Millie frowned.

 

“Hmm…Persephone wouldn’t work you as a name…probably one of the lesser Jovian moons. Likely Athena, she was a wise warrior witch, one of the daughters of Jupiter like Persephone. If you don’t like the name Millicent, well we can work with that. My middle name is Penelope for some reason. It’s historically Greek; I know there is a Greek name Melite that means Honeybee and we could always keep Millie as an endearment. Melissa sounds too frilly for you and it means to sweeten which I don’t think would suit.”

 

“Melite Athena? Sounds decent…” Millie shrugged, “Melite Athena Black-Tonks? I think that will work. M.A.B.T aren’t horrible initials, I prefer them to M.R.B. anyhow, and it would more infuriate Aunt Bella if you renamed the Lestrange Estate, Tonks. So I’m going to have brothers? If I’m getting the bookshop, what will they receive?”

 

“One of them will be the Slytherin Heir and the other will be the Tonks heir.” Andromeda shrugged.

 

“So my creepy Aunt Bella finally got the Dark Lord’s child? How did she manage that? I always thought of the Dark Lord as an insane psychotic freak.” Millie snorted.

 

“Given the different sires I suspect Polyjuice.” Andromeda mused, “Considering her age and the probability of fertility potions she may have released two eggs creating true fraternal twins. Then again it’s possible that the egg split before it was fertilised and the first half of egg was fertilised with sperm created by the Polyjuice so it’s genetically the Dark Lord’s but the second half was fertilised later after the Polyjuice wore off. Polyjuice metabolises at a steady rate unless there are extenuating circumstances such as sex which speeds up the metabolism, which is usually why prostitutes are slim and fit. The second possibility is rather rare especially in the case of both halves or copies of the original egg survive this far into the pregnancy creating half identical twins.”

 

“Weird, anyway I never wanted to be mum. Frankly, the very idea of bearing child or lying with a bloke creeps the hell out of me. I’d sooner snap my wand and live as a Muggle.” Millie grumbled.

 

“Then I take it you’re bent?” Andromeda asked slightly curious.

 

“That a problem?” Millie asked icily.

 

“No, Nymphadora’s bisexual though given that she’s omni-gendered due to being a Metamorphmagus, it would be fairer to say that she’s omni-sexual. To be honest she likes people as either gender, my daughter just happened to fall in love with a man and I do my best not to contemplate her sex life but if she explored her sexuality in their relationship it wouldn’t surprise me.” Andromeda shrugged.

 

“So if I were bent you’d be accepting?”

 

“If I can handle having an omni-sexual nymphomaniac for a daughter, I’m pretty sure I can handle a bent one.”

 

“Even if it were a Gryffindor?”

 

“Nymphadora and her father are both Hufflepuffs, which is worse?” Andromeda snorted.

 

“Point taken…” Millie murmured.

 

“I’ll talk to Aurora, lucky for us both she’s not only your godmother but she works for the Ministry in the Records department. I know she’s worked with Percy to help get his Department off the ground. Percy wouldn’t complain if I told him I was going to adopt you. With how far your Aunt Ravenna had gone to separate herself from your shared Lestrange blood, I don’t see her complaining. Now Richelle I’m not so sure seeing as how she was an Avery by Bonding and only a fool would think that Averys weren’t loyal to the Death Eater cause.”

 

Millie glared, “You seem to know an awful lot about it.”

 

Andromeda shrugged, “I worked at St. Mungos’ during the war; after I became Harry’s legal guardian, Lucius and I had plenty of talks about the war and who was part of the crowd.”

 

“You haven’t turned in any names have you?” Millie frowned.

 

Andromeda snorted, “What and spare Arthur half the fun of being Head Auror? Why should I? I don’t get paid to do his job; I’m merely a figurehead for the Houses of Black, Potter, Slytherin, Tonks and Black-Tonks. I have votes in the Wizengamot and on the Board of Governors, Aunt Walburga must be rolling in her grave.”

 

“Nasty woman, she complained all the time.” Millie groused. “I had the misfortune to run into her in Diagon when father sent me on an errand. Best thing about being a Slytherin’s daughter and a Lestrange sired one at that, was that no one really said much about me slipping in and out of Knockturn.”

 

“I’m not as much of a Light witch as people think I am, you can take the witch out of Slytherin but you can’t take the Slytherin out of the witch. I keep my nose clean as you would do well to consider but that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten all I ever learned about Dark Magic. I may not practice it as openly as I might have were I to have bonded to Lucius and the Dark Lord won but I have my moments. I was a healer so I know the damage it can do as well as how to help heal at least some of the darker effects.” Andromeda smirked.

 

Millie picked up one of the cups of tea that appeared on the table between them, “To playing in the Gryffindor-Hufflepuff world and keeping true to our own nature.”

 

Andromeda took one of the teacups for herself and they clinked them, “To being true to ourselves.”

 

After they finished their tea, Andromeda let Millie leave for a quick breakfast before classes.

 

She’d acquired another daughter on top of sons; now she just had to get Percy to grant her permission to blood adopt Millie Bulstrode so she could claim the Bulstrode estate.

 

Though while she was at the Ministry Andromeda would have to stop by Aurora’s office…

 

XooooooX

 

After their disagreement last night, Harry calmed down.

 

He wasn’t completely accepting of Draco’s reasoning and his bondmate’s refusal to admit he was wrong was weighing heavily on him.

 

He didn’t want to believe that Draco had to track down the damn horcruxes.

 

Harry shivered, why Draco? Why his friends? Why him for that matter, why did he have to be the stupid Boy Who Lived?

 

He’d slept alone again last night because he was still upset and hadn’t slept well.

 

This time he hadn’t slept on the rug in the nursery but the daybed in there.

 

Harry was heartsick, horcruxes like the diary was dangerous. What if one of them got a hold of Draco or even one of their friends like the diary did Ginny?

 

Was the diary the reason she tried to hurt Coraline or tried to use potions to ensnare him?

 

Harry didn’t want to put their family in jeopardy. Why couldn’t Draco see his reasoning?

 

He just wanted his family to be safe; he didn’t want to end up like his own birth parents or babies like Sirius’ kids…

 

The idea of his dying to take out the Dark Lord haunted him, had the little family he had built with Draco been a bittersweet gift that he would end up losing? It seemed much too good for someone like him.

 

Harry just wanted it all to go away, Voldemort to end up dead somehow and his Death Eaters dead or vanished.

 

Why did he have to be so important to the balance of the world and why wasn’t Dumbledore dead or captured already? Both the Ministry and the Goblins had passed imprisonment judgments on him but neither had him in custody yet.

 

The last they saw of him was when he appeared during the attack on the Ministry when Dumbledore duelled Voldemort only for the two power-mad wizards to end up escaping _again_.

 

Dumbledore’s ability to vanish was very frightening especially in light of his previous impersonation of Ludo Bagman and his dosing Percy with a pregnancy potion planning to cause him to miscarry to punish him for believed slights. Percy was able to bring his son Sean into the world but was then sent a letter laced with the Draught of Living Death.

 

Thanks to that flaw in their defences they’d all learned to cast spells to detect potions, poisons and curses in their mail. Lucius and Severus had taught them spells to destroy even Howlers unopened which was a good thing especially with toddlers and infants around.

 

XooooooX

 

Draco was upset that Harry hadn’t come to bed for the second night in a row.

 

He still didn’t believe he’d been wrong to try to shelter Harry from his horcrux hunting.

 

Draco did admit that putting himself in danger might cause Harry harm but he didn’t intend to put himself in a situation that would actually have him in mortal peril.

 

The emotional distance that Harry was putting between them was painful but Draco really did believe that he had to focus on the Horcruxes if only to weak the Dark Lord.

 

The how they would destroy him for good was still to be determined but eliminating his talismans of immortality was important to weakening him. While Draco could hurt him, he worried that Harry had to be the one to cast the final blow and that was troublesome. The least Draco could do was ensure that Harry was as magically strong as he could be and the Dark Lord was as weak as possible.

 

Draco wasn’t doing this for fame or power he was doing it to ensure that he and Harry survived to create a world safe for their children. He didn’t want to leave Harry widowed or his precious children fatherless or worse orphaned. They were born soul-mated and the lost of either could cause the other to die even if they had children who needed them.

 

No parent should expect their child or another’s child to defeat a monster. Just because prophecy believed that Harry had to strike the final blow didn’t mean that Harry should have to fight alone.

 

That was why there were the dragon, the maiden, the eagle and the Gemini right? The Daughter of Two Mothers and the Heir of Gryffindor was important too…

 

But the role of the later Draco didn’t entirely understand quite yet, but they would fall into place right?

 

Draco wasn’t trying to be selfish or stubborn, he was doing what he felt was right. Hurting Harry hadn’t been the plan but now he understood why Uncle Sev was against his keeping their ‘quest’ away from Harry.

 

Hermione would advise grovelling no doubt but she was still off on her honeymoon and she deserved the romantic vacation.

 

It put a hold on their attempt to free Fawkes but perhaps the break would give Hermione the fresh perspective needed to solve the riddle.

 

XooooooX

 

Blaise had gotten up late; he couldn’t hear the sound of his chicks in the nursery so he dressed silently.

 

Charlie must have brought them downstairs to feed…

 

Blaise was halfway down the stairs when he crumpled from a vision.

 

Jocy and Winky were there to catch him and levitate him to a sofa in the parlour…

 

_“You sent for me Master?” Bellatrix Lestrange preened._

_“Yes dear Bella, my most faithful lieutenant. I have a duty for you.”_

_An iron casket levitated to rest at her feet._

_“A present Master?” Bellatrix whispered in awe._

_“No. It is something very important to me, a priceless artefact of Wizarding history. I trust you Bella to put this somewhere very, very safe. It cannot fall into anyone’s hands but ours.”_

_“What is it Master? Is it Dark? Is it Dangerous?” Bellatrix murmured in a worshipful tone._

_“Quite Dark and very Dangerous…you might call it a talisman of mine.” The Dark Lord hissed._

_“I will keep it very safe…guarded by a dragon…” Bellatrix bounced on her toes, her eyes wild._

_“Tell no one Bella, no one…not even your own husband.”_

_“Yes Master of course, I will speak of your trust to no one. Oh thank you master for trusting me. May I open it to know what I am entrusted with?”_

_“No. I will be most displeased if you were to open it Bella.”_

_“Of course Master, I should not have asked…”_

 

The vision shifted…

 

_There were candle lit stonewalls in a room full of crates of artefacts…_

_The roar of a dragon echoed in the cavern…_

_There was only one place this could be…_

_Gringotts…_

_There were several labeled crates…_

_B. Lestrange- 1979_

 

_F. Lestrange- 1867_

 

_R. Lestrange- 1854_

_Bellatrix tapped the crate in an intricate pattern; its top flipped open and then revealed that inside was the casket she’d been entrusted with._

_With her right hand she reached into the crate and opened it, inside the casket was Hufflepuff’s Chalice._

_Shock painted her face and she reached out to touch the chalice, her eyes widened, “Master…it’s a part of Master…I shouldn’t have looked but it will stay protected here…”_

 

Blaise sat up with a start, “Acio dream journal.”

 

The journal zipped from his pocket to his hand, inside it was a self-inking quill.

 

“Are you alright Blaise?”

 

Blaise flinched, glancing around wildly before he spotted his father-in-law’s lover and the bearer of Colin and Dennis, Caradoc Dearborn. He took slow deep breaths to calm himself, “Yes…just a vision I get them sometimes. Did Arthur and Charlie bring down the children?”

 

Caradoc nodded, “Yes…but I helped. Charlie wanted you to sleep since you seemed to be so peaceful. I was letting Perseus and Athena toddle while Alethea and Taurus crawled around the parlour since it’s warded.”

 

Blaise frowned, “How did I get here?”

 

Caradoc shrugged, “Jocy said you fainted on the stairs, he and Winky brought you here. Do you need anything?”

 

“Hot chocolate and toast? The chocolate that’s made from melted Honeydukes bars…” Blaise murmured. “I’ll keep an eye out for the babies,”

 

Athena popped out in front of Blaise, “’Thena no baby.”

 

Blaise chuckled, “I’m sorry Athena, I meant the little ones.”

 

“’Thena big girl gawpa say so.” His eldest protested.

 

“Big girl then why don’t you show me what a big girl you are and go read Alethea the duckie story?”

 

“’Thena read to Allie?”

 

Blaise nodded, “Papa’s just tired. We’ll have cuddles later.”

 

“Papa promise?” Athena pouted.

 

Blaise nodded, “I promise.”

 

“Okay.” Then Athena toddled over to plop next to her sister picking up the duckling book and she began to tell a garbled version of the favoured bedtime story.

 

It didn’t take long for Blaise’s request to show up on a tray that was clutched in Jocy’s long-fingered hands. “Here be Master Blaise’s breakfast.”

 

“Thank you Jocy.” Blaise said with false lightness. “Can you ask Draco and Aunt Andromeda to stop by today sometime?”

 

“Master be needing Jocy to take message now sir?”

 

Blaise delicately sipped his very rich hot chocolate, “Yes please.”

 

“Jocy go at once.”

 

Between sips of his steaming chocolate, Blaise recorded his memory of the dream/vision. If family rumour was to be believed, Andromeda was seizing the Lestrange estate and granting it to her son…

 

Which meant that Andromeda might be the one to remove the famed chalice…

 

Was it to be destroyed utterly by fiendfyre or basilisk venom like Harry’s horcrux or the diary? Or was it meant to be cleansed? Blaise had little idea…

 

If they retrieved the cup then they would have what, four?

 

The diary was destroyed, as was the one in Harry…

 

They already had Slytherin’s locket…

 

Whether Bellatrix left the cup in her vault was still an unknown…

 

But if Andromeda had a list of the possessions belonging to the House of Lestrange, it was possible that the crate stored in 1979 was still within the box.

 

Who knew that the rumours of dragons guarding vaults in Gringotts was true…

 

As much as he hated the idea, they would have to bring Charlie and Bill into the horcrux hunting fold because there was no doubt in Blaise’s mind that there were dark protective curses in the Lestrange Vault and his mate was a senior Dragon keeper prior to his resignation.

 

Surely, the Dragon couldn’t be in good health and Charlie would be the only one in their circle who could treat it…

 

Just as Bill would be the most logical person to remove any found curses…

 

He’d discuss this with Draco and Andromeda when they showed up…

 

 

XooooooX

 

As proud as the Slytherins and Coraline were of Severus being Headmaster, it meant one thing: he wasn’t their potions professor anymore…

 

Slughorn was…

 

Today was yet another of his ridiculous Slug Club meetings…

 

Having attended Draco’s Christmas party last year Dennis, Colin, Seamus and Coraline were rather bored. While it had been proposed as Draco’s version of Slughorn’s old parties, they much preferred Draco’s…

 

Dennis was off talking Quidditch with Seamus, Neville and Dean leaving Colin to talk charms with Coraline and Mal.

 

None of them really stayed long, using homework as an excuse their group of friends escaped into the library to get away from Slughorn’s weirdness.

 

His aura was odd and his collector manner made them all uneasy. They were all unique individuals so they didn’t believe in being added to a trophy shelf…

 

 

 

  

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?


	22. In the Lestrange Vault

 Chapter 22

 

 

Since Bill Weasley still worked for Gringotts’, it wasn’t really any trouble for Andromeda to request the cursebreaker’s attendance for hers and Millie’s planned foray into the Lestrange main Vault.

 

They were going to use Millie’s Lestrange blood to enter the vault…

 

Due to Millie’s being a student, Bill having other Gringotts’ duties and Charlie having weekday practices with the Cannons had them entering the vault on a weekend.

 

Andromeda had little other interest in anything at present other than the crate that Blaise saw Bella place here in one of his visions that was backed up by its inclusion in the current Gringotts’ inventory.

 

They took the Gringotts’ cart down to the deeper level vaults, no sooner had they stopped the cart then Charlie, the former senior dragonkeeper spotted the clearly mistreated dragon.

 

“It’s an Opal-eye, they are extremely rare to find outside of Australia. How much?”

 

Griphook shrugged, “Will have to ask Head Goblin.”

 

Bill chuckled, “You can take Charlie away from dragons but you can’t make him stop carrying about them…”

 

Andromeda gestured permission for the retired dragon keeper to examine the dragon.

 

Charlie’s casting a diagnostic spell on it, seemed to have infuriated it so he asked Andromeda, Bill and Millie to cast stunners with him. Given it’s weakened to state it should succumb with only four casters, especially if Bill and Andromeda had the magical strength that he suspected.

 

Once the dragon was unconscious, they had little time before it would wake even in it’s weakened condition.

 

Bill, Andromeda and Millie followed Griphook down a rough-hewed tunnel past the dragon and towards the vault presumably.

 

Andromeda was not surprised that it took Griphook’s entire hand to vanish the door to the vault…

 

Immediately, Bill stepped towards the empty doorway to cast spells that were likely to detect and identify curses.

 

Bill snorted, “I’m surprised, I can only detect the _gemino_ and a curse to burn anyone who isn’t a Lestrange by blood were they to touch anything...”

 

“Leave the _gemino_ curse, we can always alter the blood signature but remove the later in case Millie isn’t Lestrange enough for the bloodwards here.”

 

Bill shrugged before he removed the requested curse with apparent nonchalance.

 

At his nod implying an ‘all clear’, Millie stepped past him and entered her sire’s family vault and looked around.

 

Andromeda was pleased that her suspicion that Millie was the proper person to retrieve the crate wasn’t incorrect.

 

Before they left Hogwarts, Andromeda had informed the young Slytherin witch that her Aunt who was also Andromeda’s sister had stored a priceless but stolen artefact in the vault in question.

 

Millie had immediately agreed to remove it so that it could be returned and she could not be held accountable for its presence given her blood.

 

It didn’t take Millie long to locate it because it was clearly labelled B. Lestrange – 1979.

 

The teenager immediately pointed to it before moving to pick it up, she was clearly stronger then both Bill and Charlie realised but when they offered to carry it after she exited the vault, Millie treated them both to an icy glare.

 

“I’m a Beater you twits. I am no whimpy maiden. Thank you for your chauvinistic offers of assistance but I have it and I don’t need any help.” Then she turned to Andromeda, “Now where?”

 

The elder Slytherin witch chuckled, “Malfoy Manor.”

 

Andromeda signed a Gringotts receipt documenting the withdrawal of the crate, which was witnessed by employees Bill and Griphook.

 

After they re-entered the cart to return to the surface, Andromeda changed the ‘B’ to and ‘R’. After all everyone knew that the Lestranges had habit of choosing ‘R’ names for their children and there were at least three if not more ‘R’ Lestranges who could have placed this crate in the vault if it were noticed. A ‘B’ would leave them with only one possibility Bellatrix and it would be immediately seized by the Ministry who would give it to the Unspeakables and that was not a permissible option…

 

They alighted in the bank’s atrium and Charlie immediately insisted on making an appointment with the Head Goblin to discuss the Opal-eye.

 

Bill merely shook his head in bemusement at his dragon-mad younger brother. Andromeda gestured for Millie to follow her and led the way to the floos. They immediately flooed to Malfoy Manor.

 

Bill who didn’t usually work on weekends flooed back presumably to Shell Cottage in Cornwall but once they were in possession of the Horcrux and on their way to Malfoy Manor, Andromeda wasn’t too concerned with the Weasley brothers.

 

They were expected so an elf didn’t meet them at the floo or announce them.

 

Lucius met them in the drawing room with the entrance to the vault exposed and supervised Millie’s delivery of the crate.

 

Once it was stowed, the entrance sealed and hidden, Lucius reluctantly thanked them.

 

“May I know what the stolen artefact is?” Millie asked gruffly.

 

Andromeda smirked, “I suppose you deserve to be told, just be sure _not_ to inform any of the Smiths. It’s Helga’s Chalice but the Dark Lord cursed it. We plan to remove the curse and then see that it is returned to the Smiths. Although I am unsure as to how it will be returned.”

 

Lucius shrugged, “I’m sure that Draco or Hermione will think of something.”

 

Andromeda nodded, “They are highly intelligent. Let Draco know that it was retrieved, I’ll be taking Millie back to Hogwarts.”

 

“Sister, is it true that you will be adopting Millie?” Lucius asked dryly.

 

Millie answered before Andromeda, “We agreed to it, I no longer wish to have Lestrange blood. We decided that my registered name would be Melite Athena Black-Tonks. Black is slightly more respected then Tonks due to its age and since I only agreed so that I could have my family’s Dark bookshop, having the Black made even more sense.”

 

“Have you told Dora?” Lucius frowned.

 

Andromeda shrugged, “No? She is an adult and a mother Lucius, she already agreed to the other adoption.”

 

Lucius snorted, “Don’t be obtuse, she agreed to that one because she already had her hands full with her son and didn’t want consider taking in another boy anymore then Cissa does. Millie is closer to her age.”

 

“I am the Head of my own House and Dora already refused to be raising its heir so she’ll be receiving Ted's personal fortune instead not that she needs it.” Andromeda scoffed.

 

“Draco may be emancipated, graduated and bonded but if Cissa and I were going to adopt someone between the ages of Draco and his siblings we would do the courteous thing and talk to him about it. After all, you want Dora to treat Millie as equally as she would your son right?”

 

“Sons.” Andromeda flinched.

 

Lucius raised an eyebrow, “All men want a son or two to carry on the name even if they would be glad to have a daughter, I’m sure Ted will be pleased.”

 

“Of course he is.” Andromeda muttered, “I will consider your point but I do need to be returning Millie to Hogwarts.”

 

Lucius escorted them back to the main floo and bowed when they left by floo.

 

XooooooX

 

Hermione and Viktor had flooed from the resort back to the International Floo Centre before flooing straight to their new home.

 

No sooner had they tumbled out then they were greeted with hugs from Narcissa and Bisera who immediately commandeered Hermione to show off how they had fixed up the house.

 

Viktor decided to carry their luggage and trail behind so not to be underfoot, he wasn’t the most surefooted of men after all.

 

It wasn’t bad, he could live with it.

 

Then his aunt/godmother called out, “Viktor?”

 

Viktor turned towards her voice, “Yes Kuma Bisera?”

 

“Your fathers prepared your study, just set those bags down and let your elves unpack. It’s that door right there, we picked out studies on opposite sides of the library and had doors put in so you could enter the library if you needed to.” Narcissa said gently, offering him an excuse to avoid the house tour.

 

Viktor nodded, “I’ll just be in my study then…” he set the bags down and disappeared into the room that Narcissa indicated.

 

“Men the only rooms the care about are the bedroom, bathrooms, their study and the gentlemen’s parlour.” Narcissa chuckled behind her hand.

 

Hermione swallowed, “I only care about two rooms right now.”

 

“Your bedroom and the nursery right?” Bisera laughed.

 

Hermione blushed, “Yes? Is that wrong?”

 

“Oh of course not.” Narcissa patted her arm, “The nursery wing is on the top of the house which is where you can have the children moved when they are older. For now we’ve put a cradle in the master bedroom and decorated your dressing room as the nursery for the moment. The babe will likely sleep in your room for the first few weeks…then you can move it into the next room. Once they are finished weaning then they would move up to the nursery proper until they are about Hogwarts age. At least that’s how we do it in the Malfoy family. I actually prefer to sleep in the temporary nursery until they are sleeping more soundly so not to disturb Lucius…”

 

Hermione was unsure which option was wiser, after all she didn’t expect to be a mum so young. She hoped to wait a bit longer, until she finished her apprenticeship and became a lawyer…

 

She had some months to decide but having never been very concerned about furnishings or décor being more bookish, Hermione was ever so grateful that Viktor’s aunt and her mother figure in the Wizarding World had gone to so much trouble. She hugged them both and thanked them many times…

 

Then Bisera bid Hermione goodbye and went to speak to Viktor before returning to Bulgaria.

 

Once they were alone, Narcissa spoke, “Another of those _things_ was found to be in the Lestranges main vault. Andromeda was to take Millie Bulstrode, Charlie and Bill with her to retrieve it.”

 

Hermione quickly realised that _things_ was in reference to Horcruxes, she frowned, “What would Millie or Charlie have anything to do with those _things_?”

 

Narcissa led her up to the nursery floor to show her that an older princess room had been prepared for baby Rose, since Hermione had mentioned considering it for her daughter.

 

Narcissa spoke softly, “Well Millie was sired by Rabastan Lestrange with Malcolm Bulstrode, Malcolm severed their bonding contract after Rabastan was imprisoned. He rebonded to Evan Rosier’s widow and she raised both their daughters. Rabastan was then free to bond to Bella after Rodolphus died in hopes of procuring a son in their second bonding to continue the family line. Since Millie was sired by a Lestrange she had Lestrange blood which would make it easier for her to remove the thing. I suspect that Andromeda chose Bill due to his work as a Cursebreaker to make sure that the vault was safe for Millie to enter.”

 

“What about Charlie?” Hermione pressed.

 

“It has long been held that the goblins kept dragons to protect older, deeper vaults. The Lestranges would be the type to guard their treasures with a dragon, especially with some of the comments that Bella made after bonding to Rodolphus. Charlie was a dragonkeeper before he bonded to Blaise and he would be the best choice to ascertain if the dragon was safe to pass by.” Narcissa shrugged.

 

“Ah…” then inspiration hit Hermione, “of course! We’ve got to let Bill help us with trying to discover the exact nature of the curse on ‘Fawkes’. I’m sure he could come up with something since it’s stumped myself, Coraline and Severus. I don’t know why we didn’t ask him sooner…”

 

Narcissa chuckled, “That’s because you are used to figuring out things with little adult assistance. This is a curse cast by Dumbledore, even if some of his achievements were exaggerations he was quite intelligent at one time. I have heard that Bill was one of the keenest in his field…”

 

Hermione squeezed her hand; “You may have just helped us move on step closer to defeating Dumbledore and undoing his hurts…”

 

She had to tell Luna and Severus…

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?
> 
> A/N: So they have the locket and the cup; they've destroyed the snake, the diary and the one in Harry. That leaves only the ring and the diadem. Any thoughts on how they should be found or destroyed?


	23. The Elements are alive pt 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Need, danger and Magic herself have called across the world...

 

Chapter 23- The Elements are alive

 

Hermione woke up her first morning in her new home of Faire Fields and was stunned to see a white snake of all things curled up beside her bed.

 

“ _Hello mistress…_ ”

 

Hermione shrieked.

 

Viktor woke up and fumbled for his wand.

 

The snake went and laughed at her, “ _Really you would think that having a Phoenix and a Nemean in the family, you wouldn’t be so surprised by me._ ”

 

Hermione swallowed, “ _I’m not a Parseltongue…_ ”

 

The snake blinked its eyelids and it felt like the snake equivalent of rolling its eyes. “ _Really and you’re supposed to be intelligent, a creature-master bond is not reliant solely on such mundane methods of communication. You are an extremely magically gifted witch and are capable of some degree of telepathy. With me for instance, my name is Bái, which means both white and pure in Chinese. White magical serpents are a symbol of love which is your element is it not?”_

 

Viktor touched Hermione’s shoulder, “Are you alright?”

 

Hermione stared at him, “I don’t know…I’m not even a Parseltongue and I get a snake familiar?”

 

“ _I’m sorry if my form offends you,_ ” the snake scoffed, “since  _I can’t help my form._ ”

 

Hermione coughed, “ _Well I just wasn’t expecting a magical creature as a familiar.”_

 

“ _Honestly what do they teach in schools these days? Your first familiar was a domesticated feline, which usually implies you have skills in esoteric magic. You’re going to be one of those types…_ ” the snake blinked rapidly again.

 

Hermione bristled, “ _What type would that be_?”

 

Bái laughed in her head, “ _The type that either overanalyses everything or dismisses things they can’t prove._ ”

 

“ _Well pardon me if I like to know things for sure._ ” Hermione retorted. “ _I suppose we’ll have to find a place for you here, why now?_ ”

 

“ _Because the danger to the maiden has increased…you’ll need someone to watch your back with the hatchling developing. After all, pregnancy makes one’s magic unstable. Unlike the Lion’s, yours won’t develop at a faster rate…_ ” Bái dipped her head in a weird shrug.

 

Hermione’s hand moved protectively to her stomach, “ _How do you know about our baby?_ ”

 

Bái blinked rapidly again, “ _Humans! I can smell it and your need summoned me here. Your anxiety over your pregnancy and the danger hovering over you, have made it impossible to ignore your magic’s call. Honestly, what do they teach in school’s these days?_ ”

 

“ _You won’t hurt my baby will you?_ ” Hermione asked nervously.

 

“ _What part of_ **protection** _aren’t you comprehending?_ ” Bái scoffed.

 

Hermione flinched, “ _I’m still wary of snakes thank you and I don’t mean Slytherins. I’ve known some fine ones…_ ”

 

“ _Now you’ll have to get used to my presence, I am a cold-blooded creature by nature but that doesn’t mean I am incapable of emotion or feeling. I would prefer a bed by your bedroom hearth. I will stay outside your bed chamber to guard you when you enact human mating rituals. Unfortunately for you, it is easier to be protected if I were worn on your body. While I can shrink myself I would prefer to avoid it. You are quite lucky,_ ” Bái snickered.

 

“ _Oh?_ ” Hermione asked.

 

“ _I might have been born in a form over four times my current size._ ” Bái deadpanned.

 

Hermione wasn’t sure if Bái was being honest or was teasing her, out of all the personalities a familiar could have, she got a snippy one.

 

“ _I heard that._ ” Bái said dryly in her head.

 

A telepathic bond might be a bigger headache then she had ever imagined…

 

Now she had to explain why a six-foot white snake with red-eyes was in their bedroom to Viktor and how they were not a danger to the baby or sent by Voldemort…

 

XooooooX

 

Creon was just as sensitive to his master’s magic as Benia and far more so then Orion who was a relatively normal retriever even if he was raised by Wizards.

 

Harry had been sleeping in the nursery on the daybed for the last few days but clearly his magic was not okay without the reassurance of Draco’s invisible flames.

 

So Creon wasn’t exactly surprised when Harry woke up burning and hungry for his mate.

 

Benia appeared, “Stubborn creatures humans.”

 

“Yes…go deliver Harry to his mate. I’ll watch the cub.” Creon smirked. “Orion is alright for a dog but that Dumbledore and Voldemort are still out there and I’m better protection.”

 

Benia winked at him before vanishing from the nursery to the room Harry normally shared with Draco.

 

XooooooX

 

Despite being from the house associated with water, Draco was very attuned to fire but his element wasn’t fire but shadow.

 

Through the bond even in his sleep he sensed Harry’s carnal hunger as well as the bond’s need for reassurance.

 

Being the master of a magical elemental creature, Draco woke when he sensed Benia’s arrival.

 

He was surprised to see Harry’s flames without straining, Harry was still unconscious but he seemed to be dreaming. “Draco…I need you…where are you…Draco…please…”

 

Draco’s indignation and irritation at Harry melted and he cupped the boy’s face, he kissed his bonded.

 

Harry moaned immediately curling around him, “Mmmm…Draco…”

 

“Hush love I’m here…” Draco murmured.

 

Slowly Harry seemed to rise to consciousness, “…Need you…come on Draco…don’t tease me…been too long…”

 

“Harry…you know I always want you…” Draco tried to calm Harry’s impatience as he kissed his neck and caressed Harry’s flat stomach. Harry had lost his baby belly far too quickly after having Artemis and Triton…

 

Draco knew they were young to be parents but he did miss seeing Harry round with his child…

 

Despite Harry’s clamouring for him to abandon all foreplay and just fuck him, Draco wasn’t keen on the idea. He sensed that Harry needed his touch…

 

Draco caressed Harry’s arms and chest, despite having to nurse their twins still; Harry’s pecs were only a little swollen with milk. They never really appeared as full breasts which pleased Draco because he sure he was most definitely gay but he could be Harry-sexual.

 

Not that it really mattered…

 

Harry’s soft whimpers and growled demands eventually wore Draco’s stubbornness down…

 

“Draco…please…”

 

Draco reached over to his nightstand to touch his wand that lay in its case, silently casting charms to prepare Harry.

 

Harry flipped them over, shoving Draco back with surprising strength before sinking down on Draco’s hard cock. He let out a mewling sound of pleasure as Draco bottomed out before he began recklessly riding it.

 

Draco had to admit this side of Harry was rather sexy…

 

Their coming together this time was definitely combustible…

 

XooooooX

 

George was heading out of his shared bedroom with Fred, his soulmate was definitely excited. Last night’s practice had gone well and Fred had come home to him, Clary and Wayne in a good mood…

 

Their miracle babies were over thirteen months, nearly fourteen…

 

George liked to get up early to see to breakfast, Fred helped out around the shop often when he didn’t have practice or a match so he liked to start off their day with a healthy breakfast. He had always been a morning person and he’d thrown himself into being a good ‘wife’.

 

He was making his way through their apartment when he yelped in shock…

 

Fred stormed down the hall his wand in one hand and tugging up boxers with the other. “Gred? What’s wrong?”

 

George pointed at the strange creatures in their apartment, “That! How did they get in? We warded this place insanely strong with Dumbles and Voldy out there…oh no Clary and Wayne…”

 

One was like a rock but it was levitating and it had two strange looking arms that had three fingers and a thumb. The other was a snake with a rainbow feathered tail and wings but the third, wait was that ball of lighting really a creature? Where were Charlie or Blaise when he had to ask questions regarding creatures?

 

The first spoke with a gravelly voice, “So nice to make your acquaintances, we couldn’t hurt your children. Imagine our surprise at being meant for you both… you can call me Petra. I’m an earth elemental and I’m Fred’s guardian…”

 

“Raiju,” this voice was sharp and jagged but came from the lightening, “I am a lighting beast. Like Petra I’m an elemental and a shape shifter. I change my form based on my mood or need…”

 

Fred’s voice was hard, “Whose are you?”

 

The lightening ball shifted into a blue and silver fox that smirked at him, “Yours.”

 

George’s eyes narrowed as he drew closer to Fred, “So you’re,” addressing the strange snake creature…

 

The snake spoke in his head with a strange airy voice that reminded him of Luna when they first met here.

 

“ _Massster…I am Kainalu, a Rainbow ssserpent…_ ”

 

George swallowed, “Elemental beasts? Like Harry and Draco have?”

 

“I never understood why they have fire beasts when they seem to be Light and Shadow…” Fred murmured. “Why do I have two?”

 

Raiju’s sharp voice crackled, “Because you have two elements you nitwit.”

 

George blinked, “He sounds like Severus before he had Harry…”

 

“We’re here for the foreseeable future…” Petra said in a rocky voice.

 

“You aren’t going to be dangerous are you?”

 

Raiju’s laughter sounded like thunder, “To you or your kits? No, to your enemies most definitely.” His teeth flashed like lightening…

 

“Do I want to know how dangerous?” Fred mused rhetorically.

 

To their surprise, Petra grew in size to a large rock but this one who had bigger muscles and even legs that reached the floor. Petra’s mouth widened into a smirk, “This is nothing…”

 

Then he transformed into a coiled snake of pure shining obsidian that was segmented into rocky spheres not unlike his previous form of the rock with arms, yet this form had no arms and took up half of the living room and had to crouch to avoid hitting the ceiling with the gleaming obsidian spike that protruded from it’s head.

 

Raiju’s voice was cutting, “Ignore Petra she likes to show off.”

 

“She?” George stammered.

 

Petra snarled, “Got a problem with that?”

 

George backed up and trembled, “No…”

 

Then Petra smirked, “Good.” Shifting back to her original form.

 

“So I have a girl earth elemental who turns into a rock snake?” Fred frowned.

 

“I’m not just any rock, I’m obsidian.” Petra grumbled.

 

“And I have a lightening elemental who changes from a ball of lightening to a sparking fox?”

 

Raiju snickered, “I can take the form of a lightening wolf as well as a weasel but the ball of lightening takes less effort and the fox is my preferred form. I likely could experiment more but I never felt the need.”

 

“Can yours do anything Gred?” Fred asked while nuzzling George’s neck.

 

They were far more affectionate in public; they would have to worry about that when Clary and Wayne were older but not now…

 

Kainalu giggled in George’s head, “ _I control water like you so I can cause storms and even floods but I normally don’t use that ability but I can._ ”

 

George frowned, “Why can I hear you in my head?”

 

Kainalu tapped him with his tail; wait was Kainalu male? It was hard to tell…

 

“ _We have a telepathic bond silly._ ”

 

George blinked, “Telepathic like Harry and Draco are?”

 

Kainalu tickled him with his feathery tail, “ _Why do you insist on talking out loud? Thoughts are faster…_ ”

 

“ _I’m not used to talking this way to anyone but Fred…_ ” George admitted shyly, “ _It’s a private thing to us…_ ”

 

“ _I see, in case of emergency I could talk to Fred but I have never really been very social…_ ”

 

George blushed, “Me either?”

 

Kainalu folded his wings and coiled about George’s body, “ _Then we should get along fine._ ”

 

George no longer felt wary about this creature, he felt apart of him.

 

“ _Are you male?_ ”

 

Kainalu giggled, “ _Does it matter?_ ”

 

George shrugged, “ _I suppose not?_ ”

 

“ _I’m sure you’ll figure it out eventually…_ ” Kainalu giggled, “ _It will be interesting to see how long that takes._ ”

 

Fred yawned, “I need coffee…”

 

George flinched, “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to wake you! I’ll go see to it right now.”

 

Fred pulled him close, “You don’t need to be so worried, I’m here. Relax…no rush with the coffee.”

 

George swallowed, blushing, “Okay…”

 

“You’re not having second thoughts again are you?”

 

George shook his head, “I don’t know…sometimes I feel a bit inadequate…”

 

Fred kissed his forehead, “Don’t, because you aren’t.”

 

George leaned into Fred, “I’ll try…”

 

Fred chuckled, “I’ve got the day off, so why don’t you let me cook?”

 

George blinked, “Really?”

 

Fred nodded, “Go check on Clary and Wayne while I make breakfast.”

 

George smiled shyly, “Alright…”

 

Fred spun George around and playfully slapped his arse causing George to squeak and smirked. “Go on…”

 

George scurried off.

 

Fred headed into the kitchen, humming to himself…

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?
> 
> A/N: So they have the locket and the cup; they've destroyed the snake, the diary and the one in Harry. That leaves only the ring and the diadem. Any thoughts on how they should be found or destroyed?


	24. The Elements are alive pt 2

###  Chapter 23- The Elements are alive pt 2

 

 

Coraline hummed to herself; she sensed a change in the magic of Britain.

 

Change always felt to her in colours, this one was golden…

 

Cora rose before dawn and had headed out to the Astronomy Tower; the fabled lost one of her ancestress. She watched the sun rise and turned as something seemed to pour into a glowing form that solidified into a feminine form.

 

“Heiress…” the woman bowed, “I suppose I am expected?”

 

Cora beamed, “Hello Clarine… is it time already?”

 

“I suppose it is, the others have come. Then you know who I am?” Clarine asked.

 

“A nymph of course.” Cora chuckled.

 

“Then you know what sort of nymph I am?” Clarine smirked.

 

“You’re the nymph of what we call the Forbidden Forest. An embodiment of the wild magic here.”

 

“Very good heiress, I see we are quite compatible just as Lady Rowena promised…”

 

XooooooX

 

Blaise sensed something in his room at Eagle’s Nest and woke at once.

 

“Who are you and why have you come?”

 

“I was warned that you were a seer and sensitive to magic when I visited the centaurs of Clarine’s Forest. I am a Sylph and you may called me Ariel…” a voice spoke with a reedy whisper.

 

Blaise scowled, “Why can’t I see you?”

 

The sylph laughed like a summer breeze, “Because I am an air spirit. I could let you see me but what would be the point? Air is supposed to be as unseen as breath.”

 

Blaise snorted, “Why have you come?”

 

Ariel giggled, “You didn’t see us did you little Veela seer?”

 

Blaise glowered, “Us?”

 

Ariel giggled again, “Yes us. You didn’t think that the dragon’s phoenix and the Nemean lion’s Nemean were the only Elemental creatures to belong to you, did you?”

 

Blaise mumbled, “I didn’t think the rest of us were important enough to have them…”

 

“Then why are you all natural masters of the elements hm?” Ariel teased.

 

Blaise inwardly grumbled, why did he have a flighty air sprite as his elemental creature?

 

“You think I’m too enthused about this? I was just floating around minding my own business when Mother Magic sent me here. I don’t want to fight…” Ariel whinged.

 

Blaise glared, “I’m the bearer of four infants, you think I like this anymore then you do? I wish that Voldemort and Dumbledore would have killed each other back in June!”

 

“Blaise?” Charlie said sleepily.

 

“Sorry Amante, I did not mean to wake you… I was conversing with a being of air.”

 

“A being of air?” Charlie yawned.

 

“He means me. Ariel the Sylph at your service.” Ariel said brightly. “Oh my Bane failed to mention that your mate was just yummy.”

 

Blaise growled.

 

Ariel giggled, “Just saying… doesn’t mean I want him.”

 

“A bent sylph oh joy…” Blaise grumbled.

 

This would take some getting used to…

 

XooooooX

 

Neville wasn’t married yet but he was engaged and well, his Gran had been kind enough to get him a private apartment because of it.

 

So Adrian spent most nights with him even though he was signed to the Arrows as a Chaser, not that they always did anything sexual but Neville had gotten used to sharing a bed and sleeping in Adrian’s arms.

 

Having a former Head Boy who had high marks going over his homework or helping explain difficult concepts was nice.

 

Neville snuggled into Adrian, it wasn’t really time to get up and his homework was done.

 

It was hard to believe that Adrian Pucey loved him, a Head Boy and Prefect with top marks in his year was interested in him…

 

It was because of Adrian that Neville had his own wand and brought up his marks to an acceptable, non-embarrassing level for his Gran.

 

Neville heard a loud neigh that went right through him and seemed to pull him towards the balcony off of his bedroom.

 

When Neville stood on the balcony, he saw the strangest creature…

 

It was slightly less reptilian than a Thestral but it still had a similar appearance though its mane and tail were shimmering like flame yet it still retained the bat-like wings…

 

It was the most bizarre creature that Neville had ever seen and it was definitely not in his Magical Creatures textbooks.

 

It looked straight at him, pawing the ground and tossing its flickering mane as it whinnied…

 

Neville was stunned when the bizarre-looking horse flew straight towards him…

 

Only to hover in front of his balcony…

 

‘ _My Lord…_ ’ the horse creature’s voice echoed in his head with the feel of a neigh.

 

Neville flinched, ‘ _What are you?_ ’

 

‘ _Me dam was a Pōka and me sire were a wild Thestral. I am a creature of dark fire, not unlike the fire that you have wielded in the past. A knight deserves a noble steed does it not? You may call me Aiden._ ’

 

Neville protested, ‘ _I am not a knight…’_

 

‘ _Then tell me Gryffindor’s heir why you possess a sword that conducts your magic as if it were forged for you?’_

 

Neville stumbled, ‘ _How do you know that?_ ’

 

The Pōka/Thestral neighed again, ‘ _You are very uneasy about me aren’t you? Mother Magic sent me as she sends the others._ ’

 

‘ _Others?_ ’ Neville whispered.

 

‘ _We have been summoned from across the world and sent to this place to stand by your sides. A creature such as myself is rare and I think beautiful._ ’ Aiden shook his mane again.

 

Neville was unsure how much trust such a fearsome looking creature merited…

 

‘ _You don’t trust me? I suppose that is fair given my sudden appearance. The Dark is rising more terribly then expected. You will need our protection…_ ’

 

Neville heard Adrian’s familiar steps before his arms wrapped around him.

 

“Is everything alright? What in Salazar’s name is this creature?”

 

Neville stammeringly tried to explain when he didn’t understand himself.

 

Hopefully, this development wouldn’t drive Adrian away because Neville would be desolate without him…

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?
> 
> A/N: So they have the locket and the cup; they've destroyed the snake, the diary and the one in Harry. That leaves only the ring and the diadem. Any thoughts on how they should be found or destroyed?


	25. Answers and Questions

Chapter 24

 

Percy was only too willing to give Andromeda custody of Millie Bulstrode a witch he only vaguely had a recollections of from his years as first as a prefect and later as Head Boy...

 

Millie had kept to the shadows of Slytherin House and neither mixed with the likes of Theo Nott nor the witches in her year like Pansy Parkinson...

 

Andromeda had earned Percy’s respect from how she handled Harry’s mistreatment at the hands of his Muggle guardians as well as her accepting Ginny as a patient when his younger sibling’s bad behaviour would have caused a lesser witch to refuse.

 

Andromeda and her Hufflepuff Mind Healer spouse would make the proper sort of parent for someone like Millie Bulstrode...

 

XooooooX

 

Millie had been owling Andromeda often, receiving advice on her studies as well as queries about the state of Slytherin.

 

It was History of Magic and with a dictation quill handling her notes for this class, Millie could focus on more pressing matters to keep alert...

 

Millie had also learned what she could about her prospective mother...

 

Andromeda had been the eldest Black of her Generation, a prefect, a one-term Head Girl, a mother during her Seventh Year, a bloodtraitor due to breaking a betrothal contract and the Queen of Slytherin.

 

The farther it was from June the more destabilized Slytherin came...

 

There was no King or Prince to hold it to Adrian or Draco’s wishes...

 

Millie wasn’t even sure how much she even liked her cousin...

 

But he’d matured a lot since starting Hogwarts; Draco had fallen in love, made friends outside their social circle, bonded and become a parent...

 

Millie had to admit that she respected Draco, not many Slytherin Captains would have given a witch like her or Mal a chance at being a Beater. Being the first Second Female Prefect in a year was a quite the compliment even if she didn’t really need it since she was already Quidditch Captain...

 

Losing Harry, Draco and Blaise as well as Adrian and alternate Montague made it hard to rebuild a team since it left Millie with only herself and Mal.

 

Yet Millie had pulled it off...

 

After watching both Adrian and Draco as captains, as well as Oliver Wood and George Weasley Millie had a fine idea of what a good captain was like.

 

Millie wasn’t a nice person by any stretch of the imagination; she was icy and brash when she spoke. She loathed Vince and only bullying from her stepmother had her accepting the request as his date. Though perhaps, the loss of her Hogsmeade privileges would have been worth the defiance...

 

Vince had been a fool to ask and he’d apologized the next day, Vince had figured out quickly that no amount of bullying would tame her or turn Millie into any kind of a lady.

 

Vince had better look elsewhere...

 

Maybe Pansy would take him on, if she wanted to waste her time...

 

Greg might have a slim chance of turning out a decent sort of gentleman but Millie didn’t care at all...

 

She still had the first match against Gryffindor to worry about and Millie had to worry about Mal’s temper flaring up.

 

It was surprising that the Weasley twins had sent a brand new set of Quidditch supplies complete with four Beaters bats and all four usual balls as well as a dozen new Snitches.

 

Millie planned to irritate everyone by naming Mal her successor as Quidditch captain at some point.

 

Mal had quite the instinctive head for strategy which was why they worked so well together...

 

Millie considered briefly calling the surly witch over to discuss a battle plan for the match.

 

Too bad she couldn’t convince the Headmaster to let someone else play Gryffindor just to see what sort of a haphazard team they had these days...

 

Then again, they were led by Neville Longbottom who was Adrian’s betrothed...

 

Perhaps, Adrian had rubbed off in more ways than one...

 

XooooooX

 

Malfalda was surprised to find a house elf waiting for her in corridor when she emerged from the classroom before heading down to lunch.

 

“Miss Mal? I be Jocy. Master Charlie be sending me to say he be waiting in Headmaster’s tower.”

 

Mafalda sighed, “I’ll come.”

 

Mafalda made her way to the Headmaster’s tower where she was surprised to meet Professor Remus.

 

“Miss Prewett? Did you need something?” Professor Lupin frowned.

 

Mafalda scowled, “I was summoned here.”

 

Professor Remus nodded, “I see.” Naming some obscure potions ingredient before the two griffins moved aside so they could enter.

 

They rode up a moving staircase and emerged in a large Tower room.

 

Standing by the hearth was Headmaster Prince and fit wizard who remembered the Weasley twins Fred and George quite strongly.

 

“Ah Miss Prewett. I will leave you two alone, Remus and I will be taking Lunch in the next room. Call if you need us.” Then the Headmaster bustled Professor Remus out of the room.

 

“I’m Charlie Prewett; you might have seen me around Hogwarts the last few years even if we weren’t introduced properly.”

 

Mafalda nodded, “I know who you are. You’re here because of Dennis aren’t you?”

 

Charlie sighed, “I would have been here sooner if anyone had mentioned that you were having a hard time of it. My brothers helped rescue Harry from a terrible home life and he’s still recovering from it despite excellent attention to his physical and mental needs. I am sorry that you’ve managed to survive five years at Hogwarts without anyone realising that you were being mistreated either at school or at home. I’ve already filed with Percy as well as the Board of Governors to be legally made your guardian. You are more than welcome to join Dennis when he returns home to Eagle’s Nest for the holidays. You’ll be granted an allowance just as he is to buy anything you want in Hogsmeade.”

 

Mafalda was stunned, “You’ve done so much in so short a time...”

 

Charlie shrugged, “I’m a father myself and so the idea that anyone with breath in their body could care less about their child’s well-being is an anathema to me. I have already repaid Hogwarts for its payment of your schooling expenses and prepaid for your next two years worth of instruction. Money has already been put aside for your future apprenticeship expenses as well as an inheritance.”

 

Mafalda was still beyond shock, her father had never done so much for her and never once stood up to her mother for how she was treated...

 

Charlie coughed, “I’m a bit too close in age to properly parent you...so if you’re not against it I’ve asked my father if he wouldn’t mind having a daughter of your gifts and he said he’d be honoured. He would be here himself but he’s Head Auror and so he works hard. He did promise to take next Hogsmeade Weekend off and if you’re not opposed to it, both he and Carey would like to take you to lunch that day.”

 

It took all of her self-control to keep from fish-mouthing in response...

 

Mafalda swallowed, “Are you sure it’s not too much trouble?”

 

Charlie shook his head, “You’re a Prewett and I’m Head of that Family, if I didn’t look after you properly I’d have Lucius, Cissy and Andromeda come down on my head as well as my brother Bill and my grandparents Septimus and Lady Cedrella. Believe me the last thing you want is four Slytherins and two Gryffindors angry with you.”

 

Mafalda had never met any of those people, the very idea that Charlie would be in trouble for not taking proper care of her hardly was fathomable. She was the lowest-ranked Slytherin, the daughter of a Muggle and a Squib...

 

Mafalda scowled, “I’m the daughter of a Muggle and a Squib why do you care so much?”

 

Charlie shrugged, “All Muggleborns are descendants of Squibs, so magic only skipped your father in this case. Seeing as how my grandfather Drystan and your father were brothers, my mother should have taken you in ages ago but that’s neither here nor there. My dad and his lover are more than happy to have a daughter of your talents even if you decide not to be adopted officially legally or by blood. I’m certain that my grandmother would be proud to have a Slytherin witch in the family seeing as how she was one herself.”

 

Mafalda lost her composure, “Adopted? Me? But...”

 

“Any family would be lucky to have you, and if they aren’t able to see that then they are fools. I plan on having your parents prosecuted for this...” Charlie muttered darkly, “No one should get away with hurting children, especially when they are your own.”

 

“My father never really stopped her but he wasn’t home when she was at her worst.”

 

“Like that excuses him, he could have left her.” Charlie grumbled.

 

“What would have happened to us if they did get arrested? There is still Mark and Miram to consider, I might not be close to them like you are with your brothers but I don’t want them to be hurt by this or thrown into the Muggle Care system because of me...” Mafalda said gruffly.

 

“Hm I didn’t know about them. How old are they?” Charlie mused.

 

“Mark’s ten, eleven in April and Miram’s just turned six I believe.” Mafalda shrugged.

 

Charlie nodded, “I’ll see to it that they are transferred to familial custody and your mother is most definitely arrested.”

 

Mafalda still couldn’t believe her ears that Charlie a distant cousin would care so much about her and her siblings as to go this far. “Okay...”

 

“Well I shouldn’t keep you too long; I’ll have to talk to Minister Bones about how we’ll handle this. Any interaction with the Muggle World will have to be considered, it is possible that we’ll be handling it the same as Harry’s case. You may have to testify personally, as much as you probably won’t like it I will insist on your receiving the same treatment Harry has.” Charlie said sternly, “I’ve seen what happens when one undergoes trauma and is refused proper care. They turn out like Ginny...I don’t want that for you.”

 

Mafalda didn’t like the idea of talking about her home life but ending up like Ginny Weasley disgusted her.

 

Jocy reappeared with food and glared at Charlie, “You be making sure Miss Mal be eating. She has classes.”

 

Charlie looked abashed, “My apologies Mafalda.”

 

“Call me Mal please, Mafalda is the worst name father could have picked out for me. Most people can’t even spell it...” Mal grumbled as she followed Charlie to the hastily appeared table.

 

Charlie nodded, “Mal then.”

 

The two sat down to eat in silence for the short time they had left before Mafalda had to return to her normal classes...

 

XooooooX

 

Waking up in bed with the usual mess of hours of sex did not necessarily alter Harry’s irritation with Draco.

 

His first reaction was that Draco had somehow magically enticed him into it...

 

That is until Benia slapped him with her wing.

 

“None of that! My master had nothing to do with your ending up in bed like this. Your magic needed it and I merely facilitated your ending up in bed with Draco to sate it.” His soulmate’s phoenix familiar chided.

 

Harry pouted. “Why?”

 

“Haven’t you noticed that it’s painful to be away from each other? Your refusal to accept Draco’s choice caused this. You wouldn’t have been forced together by your magic if you hadn’t been pouting like a child. You’re legally an adult wizard, a parent and a Lord at that. You may not like Draco’s decision but you have to admire how he’s handle this situation. He’s working with others to prevent you from having to face a full-powered Dark Lord. If you have to face Voldy then he needs to be significantly weakened. Otherwise it would be like you trying to duel Andromeda, you’d lose.” Creon snorted.

 

The lecture made Harry feel a bit embarrassed about his treatment of Draco but he was still mad about the secrecy and that Draco felt he had the duty to go harrying after Horcruxes. Shouldn’t that be a real adult’s job? Someone like papa or dad? Or even Lucius?

 

Did Draco deserve an apology?

 

Harry called for Dippy and asked her to look after Artemis and Tritan for him. Why he didn’t want to discuss Horcruxes with his usual Mind Healer, this might be a question to pose to Uncle Ted...

 

So Harry went to bathe and dress, slipping out of their bed and bedroom without waking Draco...

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll? What do you think?


	26. Inheritance and progress

Chapter 25

 

It took them all sometime to get used to their elemental familiars, with Hermione and Neville taking the longest to adjust.

 

The bondmates had recovered from the shock far sooner…

 

As for Blaise, Charlie thought the flirtacious but invisible Ariel was adorable personality-wise but he didn’t dare say anything of the sort in his Veela mate’s hearing…

 

Since Charlie had taken up his duties as Lord Prewett, he was slowly becoming more involved with Ministry and Board of Governors’ business. This meant that he had less time for the Cannons, due to his assistance in their winning streak, the Cannons management had turned a blind eye to his need to miss practices as long as he still flew in matches to avoid incurring the the fans’ dismay.

 

Thanks to his grandfather Septimus and father-in-law Lucius; Charlie and Carey had some guidance in politics.

 

Charlie’s dad had grown closer to Carey and they were planning to bond now that Molly was no longer in the picture. The only question was if they were planning on a period of engagement or if they were merely going to sign a bonding contract.

 

Since it was essentially a second marriage for both of them, neither seemed to be interested in a fancy bonding ceremony like the ones that Charlie and half of his siblings had. He suspected that it would be just the contract and that they would sign it either in Septimus’ study or at their solicitor’s office.

 

Because of his father’s duties as Head Auror, he has so little time to spend with Charlie and his family as well as his siblings’ families.

 

Also, Colin was one of the Prewett heirs and they didn’t want Carey’s sons to grow up outside of Eagle’s Nest so they were still living there.

 

Although since Colin had bonded to Seamus, he spent much of his time outside of Hogwarts at Marcheness where Seamus and Colin were being groomed to replace Old O’Shanesey and his consort Adara.

 

Neither Charlie nor Blaise minded having Carey and Arthur around, it meant that their four little ones Athena, Perseus, Alethea and Taurus could see their grandparents more often.

 

After all, it was up to Carey and Arthur to chose if or when they decided to take possession of Deerfield which was the primary Dearborn residence. Dearborn was expected to be Dennis’ inheritance…

 

There was some debate that while Coraline had been subjected to a failed and reversed blood adoption by Demeter and Xenos Lovegood that she was ineligible to inherit the Lovegood estate. This was mostly led by Demeter’s twin Aurora Greengrass, who was likely trying to gain the estate for one of her younger daughters...

 

Charlie knew of course that Harry had already selected a Potter property to pass to his sister when she came of age; the only question was if she would accept it since she was betrothed to Dennis.

 

To avoid complaints about Colin and Dennis’ legitimacy, Charlie had signed a backdated bonding contract between his Uncle Gideon and Carey. It helped that there had been a betrothal contract between them that allowed for the legitimacy of children sired during the contract. As Head of the House of Prewett, it helped that Charlie and Carey who was the Head of the House of Dearborn could exchange the contracts.

 

It was between Seamus and Colin to decide whether or not Colin wanted the title. Were Colin to refuse, it would pass to Dennis who was already the registered Dearborn heir.

 

If the Dearborn estate was enough for Dennis, then it would pass to Charlie’s own son either Perseus or Taurus.

 

Charlie may prefer dragons and flying to politics but he had his duties as a Head of the House of Prewett and he would not shirk them.

 

XooooooX

 

Harry was less furious with Draco after talking with Uncle Ted but that didn’t mean he had to like it.

 

He felt more assured about the danger when he learned that most of the Horcruxes had been recovered and were being stored in a safe location with many of the protections cast by his papa Severus and Lucius.

 

There was one still out there of course, Rowena Ravenclaw’s diadem but the ring, locket and cup had been found and three had previous already been destroyed. Apparently, they were waiting to destroy or purify them of Dark Magic if possible due to their being so ancient and historically significant to Wizarding history.

 

There was little of interest for Harry in that regard, as long as Draco wasn’t tracking them down, so he spent his days studying for the Healer Academy entrance exam, caring for his twins and attending his mind healer.

 

He knew that Severus and Hermione had asked for Bill’s assistance with trying to decipher the strange curse’s runes on ‘Fawkes’. They hoped with his assistance that they could create a counter curse to remove it but no luck with either just yet...

 

It was still October so there hadn’t been any Quidditch matches at Hogwarts yet so they hadn’t been to there since leaving after the end of last term.

 

Harry knew that Draco had little hope that Slytherin had a chance to win the Quidditch cup having lost most of their team to graduation this past June.

 

XooooooX

 

Narcissa was working on the Nursery/Primary school idea and thanks to Lucius’ connections, the legal stuff was already completed, which left her to hire staff along with Janie Wood, who had been a few years ahead of her in Hogwarts.

 

The curriculum still had yet to be fully approved, but they were going to start by accepting infants and children under seven in January.

 

The best thing about the Lily Potter School for Young Children was that essentially, Narcissa would be paid to play with her children and grandchildren.

 

Janie had agreed for the same reasons, not that Narcissa believed there was anything wrong with that...

 

Harry needed time to bond with their children before starting their training for their foray into the real adult world.

 

Her sister was still the Regent of the Black Estate because Harry hadn’t chosen to attend meetings of the Wizengamot or the Board of Governors just yet.

 

Narcissa was excited about Andromeda adopting Bellatrix’s child as well as Millie Bulstrode. Those poor kids didn’t deserve to grow up with the taint of their Lestrange blood to thwart their futures.

 

Besides, Millie was a wonderfully talented witch and the stories that Narcissa heard made her think of Andromeda.

 

Narcissa was looking forward to the birth of her second son...

 

Draco had grown up with a very different Lucius as a father but his choices at Hogwarts that First Year had changed their family for the better. They were closer and Draco had a proper relationship with her bonded, it was odd to have her daughter Carina so close in age to her grandchildren but that was life wasn’t it?

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll? What do you think?


	27. Bullying, solstice shopping and the nature of true Geminis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neville gets bullied, Hermione goes Solstice shopping, Harry does some introspection and George faces difficult choices.

Chapter 26- Bullying, solstice shopping and the nature of true Geminis

 

Having spent time off and on in Adrian’s private apartments in Slytherin, having his own felt odd. After all, Gryffindors only had their own if they were bonded or one of that year's Head Boy or Head Girl. Neville was neither; he was only engaged and a prefect. It was very humbling to be a prefect and he owed it all to Adrian really.

 

A bonded student apartment was as fancy as a Slytherin prefect’s apartment and as spacious as a Head Boy’s.

 

Adjusting to his equine familiar took time, but the constant reassuring presence somewhat made up for when Adrian wasn’t around to boost his confidence.

 

Neville was a bit annoyed when he was cornered by Head Boy Cormac McLaggen and his replacement as Seventh Year Boys’ Prefect Edward Stewart.

 

“What do you need McLaggen?” Neville sighed.

 

“It’s curious how an embarrassment like you could end up prefect.”

 

“Apparently, it’s because I was the most improved.” Neville said coldly.

 

Being a prefect was a bit of a sore point with him because despite Adrian’s assistance, he still scored below Dean. He sometimes thought that Dean deserved this badge…

 

“Not because you earned it sleeping with the last Head Boy?” Stewart pipped up.

 

Neville’s eyes narrowed, “I earned it through academic merit, I studied hard to bring up my marks. It would have been an embarrassment to my fiancé, the Pucey heir to continue to have low marks when he was tied for top marks in his year.”

 

Well Adrian had been until Fred Weasley began to study, before it had been a two-way tie between Adrian and Montague, his best friend but it became a three-way tie. With George of course right behind...

 

“If that’s so, then why are you trying to overshadow me when I’m Head Boy?” McLaggen growled.

 

“I don’t have to; your unsuitability is glaringly obvious. You displayed that on the train in September.” Neville sighed.

 

“You ought to respect your elders.” McLaggen sneered.

 

“I do; I respect my Gran, my mother, my aunts, uncles, cousins, my fiancé and his parents. I respect my professors. So, I do, but when it’s warranted. Now if you’ll excuse me,”

 

McLaggen may have been a year ahead of him but he wasn’t mature or responsible.

 

McLaggen growled, “We’re not finished.”

 

Neville frowned, “I have rounds…”

 

“The Camera brat is handling it.”

 

“Oh…” Neville said quietly, “then this is…”

 

“Merely a _reminder_ that a prefect is subservient to a Head Boy.” McLaggen purred disgustingly.

 

Neville held up an empty hand to ward off McLaggen, unless there was an injury prefects were still equally banned from using magic in the corridors.

 

To his surprise, the small flame hovering on his shoulder leapt between them and quickly changed both size and shape.

 

“What in Merlin’s name is that?” McLaggen sputtered.

 

“My familiar, Mother Magic sent him. He is half pōka and half Thestral.”

“Experimental breeding like that is _illegal_.” Stewart whined.

 

Neville smirked, “Aiden was already matured when he came to me to be my familiar. He is a natural crossbreed. Now, what was it you wanted?”

 

“Know your place, you’re just a prefect.” McLaggen blurted out.

 

“Ah, with both Harry, Draco and Blaise graduated, who do you think will be Head Boy? Not Hufflepuff’s Macmillan that’s for certain and Slytherin has two female prefects in my year, which means it’s down to myself and Terry Bott. However, between that incident last year and their House’s internal politics, I don’t see Ravenclaw having a Head anything until Coraline Potter the year behind me. It seems appropriate that both Lily Potter’s children are prefects and at least one is destined to be a Head in their year.”

 

“So, you’ll be Head Boy out of desperation?” Stewart pipped up nervously.

 

“I will probably have more respect than you do.” Neville said coolly, “I don’t understand why your year’s Weasley wasn’t chosen as prefect. Clearly he would have been a superior choice to either of you.”

 

“Why you,” McLaggen growled taking a vicious step forward only to have Aiden toss its flaming mane and flash his serpentine teeth.

 

“I what?” Neville retorted with more courage than he felt, “You have zero respect, it was Katie who ordered the boys prefects to report their troubles to me. I had nothing to do with that.” Then he shrugged, “Intimidation is a poor way to gain respect.”

  
  
McLaggen treated him to a rude gesture in retaliation before he stormed off with Stewart in tow.

 

Neville leaned heavily on his fire familiar, hiding his face in Aiden’s withers.

 

That had been disheartening, while he would have to tell Adrian about this even with the no bullying tolerance, Neville was wary about informing a professor about this.

 

If Adrian recommended he do so, then Neville would tell Professor Sprout.

 

‘ _You should. You’re more lead stallion then those two. They are like rambunctious colts who have been spoilt by their dams. In a dominance fight, you would win even without me.’_ Aiden snorted.

 

‘ _I’m grateful for your trust in me. I just don’t want to,”_

  
  
‘ _Embarrass Gryffindor? I’d say that they already have, by turning them in you would be reclaiming Gryffindor’s honour. You are his heir and the Head Girl forbid bullying, it’s in your memories colt.”_

 

Neville sighed, Aiden was right. If he was ‘excused’ from his prefect duties that made him free to inform Sprout. While Remus was their Head of House, he was also bonded to the Headmaster and Neville wasn’t as close to him as he was to Sprout.

 

Sprout would listen to him and consider a fair punishment…

 

He was sure of it…

 

XooooooX

 

Hermione had slightly become used to Bái’s presence.

 

But having a white snake with red-eyes for a familiar had been a bit of a shock.

 

Apparently, Bái found her amusing but narrow-minded.

 

Her unexpected pregnancy and rushed bonding meant that her apprenticeship would have to be put off.

 

Then again not many solicitors would consider hiring someone their age regardless of their early graduation or high marks. This gave her time to focus on Draco’s Horcrux research and work on ‘Fawkes’ curse.

 

Bill was studying the Phoenix curse’s runes and promised to get back to them. Until the curse’s runes were properly deciphered, they couldn’t write a countercurse.

 

Hermione was looking forward to her first solstice as Viktor’s bonded.

 

It would likely be at Viktor’s childhood home but they might spend time with both her family in the muggle world as well as at Malfoy Manor.

 

Blaise might join them as well for breakfast solstice morning due to Malfoy traditions but as Lord Consort Prewett, he may spend time with Charlie’s family as well.

 

Unintentional her conception might be, but Viktor was sweet. He would floo half-way around the world to fetch her anything if the local shops were closed. The famous Seeker gave excellent massages so her ankles, feet and lower back were quite grateful.

 

A lit hearth even a low-burning one had benefits beyond keeping Bái warm and happy. It kept Viktor from waking her by using a lumos charm to keep from tripping in the dark if he had to get up in the middle of the night and vice versa.

 

Hermione couldn’t leave Faire Fields without Bái and her familiar demanded that Viktor cast a glamour on her if she intended to leave the property. That is if she was going anywhere other than Harry’s Laude Abbey, Malfoy Manor or Blaise’s Eagle’s Nest.

 

Narcissa and Andromeda were overseeing jointly her pregnancy, more so Andromeda because of how far along Narcissa’s pregnancy was. Anyway, anyone who already knew about her pregnancy could see her bump but according to Bái, it was safer this way.

 

Hermione was going Solstice shopping with Narcissa and Andromeda so Bái was wrapped around her waist with her head lying on Hermione’s shoulder hidden by a fashionable but heavy cloak laced with warming charms.

 

While it wasn’t Bái’s preferred temperature, if it meant that Hermione would be safe then Bái claimed that her sacrifice would be worth it. Bái would just use Hermione’s body temperature to maintain her own.

 

Narcissa embraced Hermione gently, somehow instinctively avoiding squashing Bái before kissing her cheeks in greeting.

 

It seemed that Narcissa only had Carina, Draco’s sister today.

 

Had Severus and Remus chosen to have a house elf watch Aurelius and Lucan or had Severus chosen to spend the day with his sons? As a Headmaster, aside from serious discipline issues that might require suspension or expulsion and Board of Governors’ Meetings; a Headmaster or Headmistress was freer with their time then a normal professor. While he did hold the Prince seat in the Wizengamot, how often he chose to attend was his choice of course. Thus, he could brew or spend time with his sons if he chose…

 

They flooed to Paris, heading first to Charlene’s fine baby emporium for the little ones. After all, they were still considered infants being under two-years-old.

 

The oldest of course was Carina, followed by Blaise’s Athena and Perseus, then Percy’s Sean, Fleur’s Vicki and Louis. Then there was George’s Clary and Wayne, Severus and Remus’ Aurelian and Lucan as well as Harry and Draco’s Artemis and Leo were the eldest of their future Hogwarts year. Then would come Blaise’s Alethea and Taurus as well as Fleur’s Domi, Roxi and Jamie.Narcissa’s Marcus would be going to school with her own baby, Professor Burbage’s ‘twins’ as well as Andromeda’s own twins and Tonks’ son. That would be interesting…

  

Hermione was among the few that knew that Ginny and Bellatrix were pregnant.

 

It wouldn’t be much longer before Andromeda preformed caesareans and removed the infants. Luckily Bellatrix’s sons were going to be blood adopted by Andromeda and Ted, they were innocent. No child deserved to go through life known as Bellatrix Lestrange’s child.

 

Between the two sane Black sisters, Hermione was probably as safe as one could be. Narcissa had long ago appointed herself Hermione’s unofficial magical guardian and maternal figure. Hermione knew that she would never have become the witch she was today without Narcissa’s guidance and encouragement.

 

She was determined to enjoy herself; after all who better to advise her on gifts for Viktor’s family? Gifts from his girlfriend were one thing but now she was his bonded, his wife and that required a different taste. Neither witch would steer her wrong, Hermione trusted them. They had long since proven they could be trusted…

 

XooooooX

 

Saying Harry had completely forgiven Draco would be exaggerating…

 

But he was finding himself buoyantly happy despite his very real worry regarding horcruxes.

 

It was drawing near his and Draco’s one year anniversary of their bonding as well as Titania and Leo’s first birthday, so perhaps that was the reason for his improved mood. Either that or his sessions with Ted were finally having a very real impact on his mental state.

 

He had also begun sleeping more and studying to enter healer training at St. Mungos merely made him sleepy.

 

After their anniversary and the twins’ birthday would be solstice, their second solstice as a family.

 

Harry was content to owl for his gifts, he wasn’t quite ready to let the public intrude on his family time. Being the Boy Who Lived, having a private life would be difficult but for now he was going to relish what he had.

 

Due to his wish to be a healer, Harry was reluctantly to take up his political duties as Lord Potter-Black. Eventually, he would have to but for the moment he was content to let Andromeda handle it. Even if with the added responsibility of seeing to Narcissa, Bellatrix and Ginny’s pregnancies it was a bit rude. After all, she was pretending to be pregnant herself as well as looking after Hermione and Charity as well.

 

Perhaps, he shouldn’t be adding to her stress like that…

 

He really was enjoying being a stay-at-home papa so he could catalogue Titania and Leo’s milestones.

 

Unlike Blaise and Harry who missed out sometimes because of school, Hermione would get to enjoy everything in her daughter’s infanthood as a doting bearer.

 

Poor Blaise and Fleur would never have another clutch thanks to Ron…

 

Charlie and Blaise had a chance at more children if Charlie carried it but it depended on if Blaise would ever be alright with the idea.

 

Bill and Fleur’s only choice was a surrogate, with two healthy clutches that resulted in five babies in two years and Fleur’s own pain, he didn’t see them considering that. Having her future clutches stolen so brutally, even the mention of a surrogate would break her heart and Bill loved her too much to do that. Bill would insist that he was content with Vicki, Louis, Domi, Roxi and Gabe.

 

Both couples were a love at first sight pair, it was painful to see how Ron’s hateful, vindictive magical attack had affected them. Bill and Charlie were somewhat at a loss on how to comfort their Veela while Fleur and Blaise were rather shattered.

 

Harry and Draco for all their faults and scars, were soulmates. They might not always agree but they loved one another fiercely.  

 

To be honest, Harry wanted to shield Draco from danger just as much as his bonded wanted to do for him.

 

XooooooX

 

Despite Fred’s insistence on their seeing Ted to heal the damage their mother had done due to her neglect and more recent abandonment, George was weakening.

 

Even their twins and George’s elemental familiar weren’t enough to ground him.

 

Fred was always protective of George who was the weaker but more emotionally sensitive of the two.

 

Being twins was one thing but being deemed Gemini twins was an entirely different issue both magically and sexually…

 

George was afraid to discuss this, he’d slipped away sometimes to Knockturn Alley to visit Alexandria’s Inferno, a Dark Bookshop with a reading room.

 

His brothers Charlie and Bill took turns sending an elf to watch Clary and Wayne when George needed time to himself but didn’t want to burden Narcissa.

 

George knew Fred would fight him on this but he needed a grounding mate. George didn’t want one either but the prospect of never seeing his miracle babies grow up haunted him even more. But that ritual that Fred searched so hard for to give them a bonding of sorts, would it consider adding a third to be a betrayal?

 

George was no magical theorist, he was ashamed that his weakness might jeopardize the tenuous nature of their relationship. He had never wanted anyone else, it had always been Fred…

 

George was torn between grounding his life and magic or guarding his heart…

 

Only his familiar Kainalu knew and he was sure that the winged serpent hadn’t mentioned it even to Fred’s Raiju and Petra.

 

George just wanted everything to continue as it was without a need for change.

 

There was no guarantee that any possible grounding mate wouldn’t be creeped out by a sexual relationship between twins much less accidentally sired children.

 

George wanted to weep, he wouldn’t trade away Clary and Wayne but he didn’t want to lose any precious time with them…

 

He was torn, he had responsibilities as a parent, a lover and as a business man but some days, he hardly had the strength to leave his bed.

 

Even the presence of his familiar only gave him so much of an energy boost…

 

George wished he knew what to do…

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?


	28. A collapse and unpleasant discoveries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> George's precarious health reaches a tipping point and startling revelations about their little family are brought to light.

Chapter 27- A collapse and unpleasant discoveries

 

George was doing a cursory sweep of the shop, taking note of what needed to be brought in from the stock room.

 

They needed to hire more staff, they were stretched as it was. Poor Verity was managing the floor as best she could, while George struggled to handle both product creation and the books as well as looking after Wayne and Clary.

 

If he needed to work in the lab, he brought Wayne and Clary to the Manor where Lady Narcissa watched over them.

 

Fred was trying to balance his creation duties along with his Beater responsibilities for the Cannons.

 

George didn’t want to worry Fred, so he kept his weakness to himself.

 

He had to keep it together…

 

He had left Wayne and Clary napping, but under his familiar’s supervision. He knew that Kainalu was just as responsible as his brother’s elves.

 

He found himself slipping on the stairs leading to the second floor of their sales area.

 

“Are you alright? George? It is George, isn’t it?”

 

In his fugue, George recognized the voice.

 

“Monta,” his magic had reached the limit of what it could endure.

 

He passed out. 

 

XooooooX

 

“George?” fuck.

 

As the younger Weasley twin, the former Gryffindor Quidditch captain collapsed in his arms, Brecc Montague felt himself stagger.

 

Something just took a huge chuck of his magic.

 

He’d always been highly conscious of the Weasley twins, he saw them as two separate people unlike most.

 

He’d been in their classes for years and had watched as they academically showed their differences. Yet the emotional bond between them had seemed impossible to break, not that he wanted to break it.

 

Brecc had watched his old friend fall in love with the Longbottom heir, his jealousy had been more envy that he didn’t have someone perhaps, more than one someone who needed him like Neville needed Adrian.

 

Brecc slipped through an employees only door holding George, and somehow made his way into what was the twins’ home.

 

He knelt awkwardly at the first floo he found, in their living room. Holding George securely in one arm, braced on his knee, Brecc threw powder into the floo.

 

“Lavender Vale!”

 

To his relief, his godmother appeared in the floo.

 

“Brecc?”

 

“Aunt Andromeda, George Weasley collapsed. I’m not exactly sure but when he did, it felt like he drained some of my magic.”

 

“That sort of drain is usually felt between a bonded couple when the pregnant one runs low on magic and energy.”

 

“I remember reading that. Hurry up and come through. I don’t want to be alone when his twin returns. I’m sure he sensed it.”

 

“I’ll be right through. I have been ordered to take it easy recently.”

 

“I heard about your pregnancy, I am sorry to disturb you but you are the only one I trust that I was sure would be trusted.” Brecc admitted nervously.

 

“Pull up a comfortable seat. I will fetch my healer bag.”

 

Brecc left the floo open and used the brick of the hearth to hoist himself up. He might be nearly two metres tall and just over 15.7 stones but he was very strong.

 

George felt far too light for someone over ten centimetres shorter, his magic still felt weak. Brecc hoped that his godmother figured out what was ailing the sensitive former Gryffindor…

 

XooooooX

 

Fred was in the middle of practice when something reached out and took a chuck of his magic.

 

Raiju crackled on his shoulder vibrating with a tension that it seemed that Petra sensed as well.

 

He leaned heavily on his broom, “What the hell?”

 

“Something has been wrong with the water user’s magic, we thought that Kainalu could stabilize him so we said nothing.”

 

George? Something was wrong with George?

 

“Fred? Fred? Fred! Damn it, answer me you juggernaut!” Charlie snapped, as his hand came down on Fred’s upper arm and shook him.

 

“Something’s wrong with George…” Fred said absently and then he nearly toppled off his own broom.

 

“I’m taking Fred home, he’s not well.” Charlie yelled at their manager before moving his arm to wrap around Fred’s waist.

 

Fred felt out of strength as Charlie practically flew them into the ground and then carried him towards the nearest floo.

 

Fred was embarrassed, he wasn’t a child and yet Charlie had to carry him. His familiar Petra was balancing precariously on Raiju’s back as he ran along in wolf form.

 

The two of them usually hung out in his shirt pockets in a shrunken size to limit their use of strength and to lessen their weight.

 

George had taken to being more subdued than usual, Fred was certain this was because of his guilt about their relationship. He did his best to encourage George and to insist that he see Ted Tonks regularly. Was something else wrong?

 

XooooooX

 

Andromeda stepped through into the apartment that George, Fred and their babies shared. She had never actually been her, Ted had and had mentioned his worry for George’s mental state.

 

Cissy had claimed that the twins Gawain and Clarissa seemed fine.

 

Andromeda had never had a reason to question her judgement before.

 

There was something irritating about this whole mess, as if there was a missing piece.

 

She arrived and set her bag aside as she cast spells on George.

 

Her nose twitched, _Dark Magic._ She wasn’t a paragon of virtue, unlike Narcissa who was sensitive for a Slytherin, Andromeda was Dark. She had a Hufflepuff bonded and could mix well with non-Slytherins but she was still Dark.

 

Having missed this infuriated her.

 

Why hadn’t she realized this soon? George had been cursed…

 

A Gemini pair needed a grounding mate; George only survived Hogwarts because he crossed paths with his grounding mate during the day. His magic could pull equally from his twin and now their grounding mate. The curse had prevented George from recognizing his grounding mate, that was why his magic and his emotions were unsteady.

 

The curse seemed to prevent anyone from realizing this as well.

 

Infuriated, Andromeda cast umbra transuerso, the Shadow Reversal hex. It was a dark spell to be sure but it served a purpose. It removed an entwined curse and hexed the original caster by exchanging the curse itself for magic belonging to the original caster.

 

In short, Andromeda stole Albus’ magic… not all of it. The creep could stand to lose some after all he’d done to the Weasleys and Harry.

 

George started to breathe easier and colour was beginning to return to his face.

 

Andromeda grumbled, “He’ll be fine. When Fred returns, I will discuss what happened to cause the collapse. For now, I need to check something.”

 

Brecc stayed on the settee, still cradling George. “Salazar, I hope this isn’t the only time I get to hold you…”

 

Andromeda let herself into the nursery that Gawain shared with his sister.

 

To her surprise and annoyance, it seemed that Clarissa was sick again.

 

That worried her, a few more specialised spells helped her discern that what was ailing Clarissa wasn’t merely a cold or the flu. Rather a build-up of fluid in her lungs caused by a genetic defect causing her to produce more mucus then was normal.

 

Andromeda would have to teach her fathers the mucus expelling charm, this was likely caused by their parents being twins. The reality was that George should not have been allowed to carry this pregnancy to term or if he did, the twins should have blood adopted at least partially.

 

Then perhaps, this medical issue might not have occurred.

 

While there were potions to limit the production of mucus and charms to vanish it, it wasn’t really a disease that could be fully erased at this point.

 

However, Clarissa was young enough that the introduction of unrelated blood could prevent this disease from becoming worse and affecting other systems. It might also help her digest vitamin K more easily and protect her from becoming infertile. Muggles called this Cystic Fibrosis and there were a few variants; Andromeda was certain that blood adoption would limit the disease to her lungs.

 

She was not exactly surprised to find that Gawain also was showing signs that he too needed a blood adoption. His blood was starting show signs of haemophilia, what type she couldn’t determine. She wasn’t an expert, she delivered babies but paediatrics wasn’t her specialty.

 

George’s magic must have been overworking itself to maintain a healthy equilibrium so that the twins remained healthy. The proximity of both Fred and Brecc must have also helped them mostly develop without incident.

 

Without Brecc, George’s magic was likely being drained while he nursed because he wanted them to be strong and healthy.

 

She would have to examine Fred to be sure but likely his magic was trying too hard as well.

 

Andromeda brought both twins in carrycots with her in time for Fred to return.

 

Out of the floo tumbled Fred Weasley and Charlie Prewett-Zabini.

 

Accompanied by a wolf that seemed to be comprised of lightening and a rock with arms.

 

“What are you doing here Montague?” Charlie growled.

 

“He likely saved George’s life. Your grandfather will have a new charge to add to Albus’ growing list.” Andromeda snapped.

 

Charlie flinched, “What do you mean?”

 

“It’s all fine and dandy to say that they are Gemini twins but we were magically prevented from realizing that they were meant to be in a triad. Albus hexed them at some point, probably during the Triwizard when he dosed Percy with that pregnancy potion. At any rate, George was unable to recognize that the anchor for their magic was Brecc. Brecc is probably why he carried to term at all, they were in close proximity for the both of you to supply his magical needs. Especially for such an unorthodox pregnancy, you wouldn’t have become too emotionally dependent on one another if someone hadn’t prevented you from recognizing Montague’s place.”

 

“He was meant to be mine all along?” Brecc asked anxiously.

 

“Of course, but it’s more that they were both meant to be yours. The only way that George will recover at all is if the two of you agree to a few concessions.”

 

“What would those be?” Charlie frowned.

 

“That Fred has to not only accept Brecc as a bonded partner, but he has to also agree to allow Brecc to blood adopt Gawain and Clarissa.”

 

“No…” Fred growled weakly. “I won’t share.”

 

“I did not make myself clear then; if you do not, then you will lose all three of them.”

 

Fred flinched, “What?”

 

“George’s magic is being drained because of his desperation to prove that your children are healthy. They aren’t. George will not be able to anchor your children and their health will deteriorate. I ought to have been more aware of your pregnancies but I was distracted with politics and Sirius being as sexually irresponsible as my own sire. If your children are not blood adopted soon; Gawain’s blood disorder will become so dangerous that the tiniest scratch could cause him to bleed to death while Clarissa will drown from fluid in her lungs. If she survives her childhood, she will likely be barren and could develop other aspects of this disease. George was too successful in keeping them mostly healthy.”

 

“If it will save George’s children, I will blood adopt them. I will claim them as mine, we’ll claim that we were both drugged likely by the same person who drugged Percy. It wasn’t until George became ill, that you tested to see who the sire was. He was magically prevented from realizing that we had inadvertently developed a soulbond between the three of us. I just happened to visit the shop, hoping to ask George out on a date only to have him faint in my arms. If we tell it just right, the masses will call it romantic.”

 

“You really would adopt George’s children?” Fred rasped.

 

“I cared about both of you, George especially but I was practically invisible to you both. That is when you weren’t trying to smash my head open with a Bludger.” Brecc shrugged.

 

“I will temporarily cast a magic sharing charm that will tie you to both George and Fred. I shall have to remove that curse from you likely as well. As for the twins, the sooner they are blood adopted the better. I will leave that up to you Charlie.”

 

Charlie coughed, “Of course, we will have it done immediately.”

 

“For now, since neither of your brothers have the magical strength to keep an eye on Clarissa’s lungs I will teach you and Brecc the charm to check for mucus in her lungs. As well as the spell to remove it.”

 

Andromeda stayed long enough to ensure that both Charlie and Brecc had a firm handle on the two spells but also one to strengthen Gawain’s skin. Best to avoid any chance of bleeding even if it hadn’t progressed to a dangerous level yet.

 

Andromeda was confident after she removed the curse on both Geminis that they would be less obsessed with resisting Brecc’s presence.

 

Given that Brecc probably saved George, Gawain and Clarissa’s lives; it was doubtful that the Weasley extended family would disapprove of him. Besides, Brecc seemed more than willing to claim Gawain and Clarissa legally as well as by blood.

 

True Gemini twins were rare but for them to have survived this long without their anchor said much about the twins’ strength.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll? What do you think?


	29. Facing the Future, and Adoption

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BAFan is amazing!

Chapter 28 - Facing the Future and Adoption

 

“Do you know why I keep referring to your relationship with Dennis? Your godparents have voiced concerns. Now, I want to hear why you are avoiding him.”  Since coming into Severus and Remus’ joint custody as well as her bullying becoming known, she attended regular sessions with a Mind Healer. He wasn't, however, Draco’s uncle, Ted Tonks, but a member of Damocles and Corey's pack.

 

It was embarrassing.  Coraline scowled at him.  “I don’t know why you want me to say it when you already know the answer.”

 

“You need to accept it and change it.”

                                                                                                               

“I don't,”

 

“If you want any sort of relationship with Dennis, then you need to.”

 

“That’s not fair,” Coraline said sullenly.

 

“Yes, it is. He deserves better.”

 

“Then me? Probably,” Coraline admitted painfully.

 

“That is not what I meant and you know it. You can’t continue to use his cousin Mafalda as a shield; you’ve been keeping an emotional distance from Dennis since your brother’s birthday party.” 

 

“I have my reasons,” Coraline retorted, and then grimaced, knowing the Healer wouldn't let that remark pass by.

 

Sure enough: “I know," he said without missing a beat, "and they're related to Ron Weasley’s molestation. We’ve discussed it before, Coraline: Dennis isn’t Ron; he was no more ready for a sexual relationship than you were.”

 

“I know Dennis isn’t Ron,” Cora mumbled.

 

“Then why the distance?  He would never hurt you, not intentionally. He treats you with tenderness and respect.”

 

“I… just have issues with intimacy and physical displays of affection from anyone.” Another evasion she knew the Healer wouldn't overlook.

 

“You have no issues with cuddling your niece and nephew or hugging your brother," he pointed out gently.  "You even accept embraces from your godparents and your dad.”

 

“You just have to nit-pick," she muttered.

 

“I’m here because you still have lingering self-esteem issues from being bullied, you have intimacy issues because of Ron’s abuse, you have some abandonment issues because your mothers are passed to the Veil, and you were essentially raped.”

 

“I was not,” Cora protested, automatically leaping to Dennis' defence.  Why was he saying that?  Dennis would never -

 

“Yes, you were, and Dennis was used as well. Someone who likely knew how you were mistreated at Hogwarts used one of the few people you trust as a weapon to undo your therapy.”

 

“I really hate you sometimes,” was all she could think to come back with. 

 

“Truth doesn’t change.  You can choose not to see it but the truth will always be the truth.”

 

“So, what do you recommend then?” Cora muttered sullenly.

 

“This attitude doesn’t really become you," the Mind Healer gently chided.  "You are such a smart young woman. I am just here to keep you from losing the best thing to happen to you. Without Dennis, you would still be under that curse and be locked in a tower.”

 

“I know, I know.”

 

“Please, this is important. Not only for you but for him as well.”

 

“I’ll…work on it.”

 

“I’m sure he’s noticed, he just is afraid of being pushy. You’ve got a keeper with that one.”

 

Cora smiled painfully to herself as she left.  Mind Healers had a nasty habit of voicing the truth in a way that made it even more painful to process.

 

XooooooX

 

“I call on the five elements to hear my prayer,” Charlie began. “Air, water, wind, fire and spirit, bless this place and our ritual.” He cast a circle laying a symbol of each on the small altars, pedestals really that lay at each point of the circle.

 

To the north, the symbol he placed was a handful of pure salt that he removed from a silver canister.

 

To the east, he poured incense on a bed of smouldering charcoal. The incense chosen was a crystal purification incense because they were cleansing Clarissa and Gawain in hopes of giving them strength and weakening the diseases that were slow-growing. It should also have a side benefit of strengthening the growing bond between Brecc Montague and Charlie’s own younger brothers. 

 

He turned to the south, lighting a red candle. The colour meant love, strength, courage and health, among other things.

 

To the west, he placed a silver chalice that filled with pure spring water fetched during a full moon. Andromeda and Severus, being First Class Potioneers, had very large stocks of rare ingredients.

 

In the centre, he placed a small silver cauldron that had never been used before.

 

The symbols laid and the circle cast, Charlie turned to the little family before him.  “Do you have the potion?”

 

Brecc pulled a phial from his pocket.  “I do.”

 

Charlie poured it into the Prewetts' ritual chalice. “Take this dagger and give of your blood so that the child can be one with you as you would wish.”

 

Brecc took the dagger and sliced open his palm, squeezing the needed blood into the potion.

 

George shyly kissed the wound before handing Wayne over to his grounding mate; he bandaged the wound and then used the dagger on his own hand. He squeezed the blood into the chalice to mingle with the potion and Brecc’s blood. He reluctantly nicked Wayne’s finger, which set the boy to wailing, squeezing a drop into the potion before bandaging the cuts.

 

Holding their bandaged hands together, Brecc and George began the chant. “Son of my body,” George whispered, kissing Wayne’s wispy ginger hair.

 

“Son of my heart,” Brecc said, cradling him.

 

“Be one with us,” they said together. “Our lives for yours, our blood we mix.”

 

“I carried you beneath my heart, nurtured you in my body, and you are mine. All rights I share with the one who shares his blood with you. Our son you are evermore,” George said, kissing the bandage on his son’s finger.

 

“The son of my heart, now to be the son of my blood. A firstborn you are to me. I give my blood freely to make you my own. Gawain Jesse Montague is your name now and forever.” Brecc said, bringing both their hands to his lips.

 

The now blessed and complete potion, Charlie tipped into a bottle that had been consecrated by being in the sun for three days and the moon for three nights. Then they fed it to Gawain, who frowned at the taste but a light compulsion charm bid him drink. The mixture, with their freely shed blood, would replace through magic the tainted blood in Gawain’s veins, making him in truth a Montague though he had borne the name of Weasley prior.

 

Gawain began to glow. He whimpered with discomfort, but the ritual prevailed.  He did sweat blood, but that was expected.  The potion would be absorbed into his body and the magic in their mixed blood would replicate itself and replace that which was there before.

 

Perhaps they should have used Fred’s blood instead of George’s, but George was insistent on remaining the bearer in their polyfidelity triad.  Gawain’s hair had darkened to auburn and his curls had vanished, while his eyes had gone navy. He looked less pale, so perhaps the blood adoption had strengthened his blood.

 

In fifteen minutes, it was completed.

 

Brecc reluctantly exchanged Gawain for Clarissa, since unlike his bondmates he had spent so little time with them and they began again.  Luckily Snape, or rather Headmaster Prince, was able to brew this potion for them quickly. They had needed both him and Brecc’s godmother, Andromeda, to provide the necessary ingredients. Fortunately, those were easily obtained…

 

The adoption had given Clarissa grey-blue eyes and light copper hair; hopefully, it also strengthened her magic and her body. While her cystic fibrosis could not be completely cured, it could be minimalized so that it hopefully wouldn’t affect any other organs.  Brecc thought she looked most like his mother.  He had never seen proper pictures of Gawain and Clarissa before since Fred and George were quite protective and wary of publicity despite Fred being a professional Beater after a fashion.  It was unlikely that either Clary or Wayne would be Quidditch players due to their health issues.  In fact, it remained to be seen whether their health, as they matured, would allow them to attend Hogwarts or require them to be privately tutored.

 

Charlie closed the circle, thanking the elements for their blessing before vanishing each of the symbols.

 

They were his. Clary and Wayne would remain Montagues.

 

Since Fred and George were twins and identical twins at that, they would both test as the bearer when it came to blood. If the _parentis divinus_ test were used, it would come back to only George.  Brecc just had to make sure his own parents never subjected those babies to the test. He’d just claim they were too unwell.  Now that they were his, he would have to tell his parents but not until their bond was strong while Clary and Wayne stabilised.

 

XooooooX

 

As Clary and Wayne’s sometimes babysitter, Narcissa felt so guilty for not realising that Clary’s susceptibility to colds or the flu was really her cystic fibrosis. It wasn’t a disease she was very familiar with; such illnesses were handled by specialist Healers and she had only qualified as a General Healer. Although, she had apprenticed for a time with the Healer of Blaise’s grandmother’s flock to better learn how to treat Blaise to keep his Veela nature known to as few as possible.

 

She knew cognitively that the curse that Dumbledore (would that man just die and save them from being tormented by his sick plots) had cast was responsible for her and Annie’s oversight. It didn’t help her heart; as a mother and a Healer, her blindness had allowed George and his babies to get so ill. She had started to mother the Weasleys when they brought Blaise home after being injured by a life-sized Wizarding Chess set.

 

As far as she was concerned, if Molly wasn’t interested in being a mother or a grandmother then she would step up.  It was Molly's loss.

 

She hadn’t expected for her practically adopted son Blaise to end up with a Weasley, not that Narcissa minded. Charlie was a wonderfully attentive Bonded and a very active father.  He'd even spent a good part of Athena's and Perseus’ first year caring for them while Blaise was in school. They hadn’t expected Alethea and Taurus, but after Ron made it impossible for Blaise to have another child Narcissa was glad that they had. Four was quite a lot but Blaise was doing a fine job. Once they got their nursery/primary school running, then her grandchildren and her own children could spend part of the day there while their parents, or at least their bearers, could study for their apprenticeships with far fewer interruptions.

 

If her sister wasn’t so busy with Harry’s political responsibilities then she might have offered to let Harry apprentice to her rather than wait to be of age to attend the Healer Academy at St. Mungo's. Draco was likely intending to convince Lucius’ cousin Sancus to allow him to apprentice and clerk for him after he turned seventeen. Even with Professor McGonagall’s diminished authority as one of the Transfiguration professors after having resigned as Headmistress this past summer following a heart attack, she might enjoy having Blaise as an Apprentice.

 

Narcissa was looking forward to seeing what splendid adults her "honorary grandchildren" all ended up with, even her daughter Carina and son Scorpius, who would be of an age with her grandbabies by blood.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?


	30. Triad bonding moments and Dark Visions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Triad bonding moments and Visions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, Thank you BAFan for Betaing this. You are so patient and helpful!
> 
> Readers: BAFan and I are still working through Betaing this Part. We're up to Chapter 18 and the last chapter was Betaed as well. The next chapter is a WIP, the drama that arose here will be explained promise! Once we've caught up to the more recent Chapters, we'll pick another part to Beta between updates.

**Chapter 29**

 

 

The first morning that Fred woke up with another body in their bed, he felt at peace.  He had struggled for so long to be the strong one, to reassure George that he loved him.  A large, gentle hand played with his hair and he found himself curling up a bit, like a kitten eager for the attention.

 

 

 

“Morning, Fred.” The warm baritone voice sent a ripple of pleasure down his spine.  “You don’t have to play strong anymore, you know.  It’s all right to accept comfort.”

 

 

 

“Fred?” George asked sleepily.

 

 

 

Fred reached over to entwine his fingers with George’s. “I’m here.”

 

 

 

“We’re all here,” Brecc said in a pleased tone. 

 

 

 

Both twins found themselves pulled up and embraced, but not painfully despite Brecc’s size and strength.  They felt protected; while both were quite strong in their own right, Fred now also felt cherished.  A description that had merely been a word before.

 

 

 

“I hoped, but never expected to be able to hold you both like this,” Brecc murmured.

 

 

 

“I didn’t think I could ever share George with anyone,” Fred mused.

 

 

 

“You were cursed to think that,” Brecc said, running a hand up and down their backs. “It made you blind to your need of me.  It also kept me from approaching either of you.”

 

 

 

Before they had time to react, Brecc cupped their chins and kissed them both, George first and then Fred.  His Gryffindors melted against him; it felt good to acknowledge that Fred and George were his.  Both slightly younger wizards nestled into his sides, a sense of contentment enveloping them all.

 

 

 

Their magic was vibrating in sync, flowing between them in a continuous circle.  Brecc’s hand slid down to cup both their arses.  George and Fred shivered at his touch.  George had hated that missing piece in his heart, but now it was gone; Brecc was that missing piece.  Fred had spent so long shielding George from things, but being held like this, he didn’t feel as if he had to anymore.

 

 

 

Wayne and Clary had been blood adopted but were being cared for by specialist Healers.  Andromeda had promised that no mention of their being sired by Fred would be necessary. Some children were unlucky enough to develop medical issues and with all of the inbreeding between the purebloods, these things happened.  Brecc had stepped up and taken responsibility as their true sire but had yet to inform his parents. Luckily, they hadn’t checked the family tree before the blood adoption took place, which Charlie had overseen almost immediately. They would have to check on their babies soon, but right now…

 

 

 

Now was for strengthening the growing bond between them that they had been cursed to be oblivious to.

 

 

 

Brecc slid a hand inside their pants, caressing their arses and teasing that cleavage.  George was loose and a finger slid in easily but Fred reacted the most by gasping and quickly spotting his pants with precum.  Brecc stripped them with a spell, rewarded with two cockheads peeking out at him from the folds of their foreskins and pressing into his hip on either side. He wiggled out from between them, pressing his redheads back onto the bed.  “You may snog if you like but I get to play with what’s below your waist.”

 

 

 

Shyly, George slid closer to Fred. Fred slung a leg over George’s thigh, showing off a little before pulling George in for a deep snog.

 

 

 

Brecc straddled their intertwined legs and took both of those lovely stiff pricks in his hands, stroking them after baring their bell ends, which were wet and gleaming with precum.  Curious.  Aside from the slightly different coloured skin on Fred’s arm (likely an old burn from perhaps soup), the twins didn’t appear to be anything other than identical at first glance. They were different here, though: George was shorter and thicker while Fred was longer and thinner.

 

 

 

Fred and George moaned, clinging to one another as they snogged and thrust into Brecc’s hands.  Soon he took both their cocks in one hand, letting Fred sprawl over George, and rubbed conjured lube into their puckers.  His gingers rocked back and forth between thrusting into his hand and rubbing back against his fingers as he alternated between them:  first George, and then Fred.

 

 

Fingering George was easier - he’d had more practice - but fingering Fred was an amazing experience.  The slightly elder twin was so very sensitive, Brecc was a bit smug.  Having the Human Bludgers of Gryffindor at the mercy of his pleasurable torture was quite enjoyable.  One finger teasing Fred’s prostate was enough to make the Cannons’ Beater cum within a few minutes, his cry of pleasure muffled by George’s mouth. George needed three fingers pounding him and being wanked with his twin’s spunk to gain release.  Brecc smugly licked his hand clean of their mingled spunk after basking in the reflection of his ability to pleasure them.

 

 

 

George lay there gasping for a while, but it was Fred who recovered first, pulling Brecc down for a bruising snog.  “I need more,” Fred mumbled into their kiss.

 

 

 

Brecc slid over to one side and propped himself up on one elbow.  “I can arrange that.” 

 

 

 

He urged Fred’s legs apart then gathered up some of the cum that had splattered on his stomach.  It would make do as a lubricant for the time being.  Being a wizard, he could of course conjure lube, but he liked the idea of using some of their ejaculate for the purpose; it somehow felt more erotic.  “Do you think George would like to suck us?”

 

 

 

“Georgie?”  Fred looked at his twin hopefully, then gasped, eyes widening, as Brecc’s finger slid over his perineum and began circling his hole, moving gently but firmly over the puckered skin, relaxing the area with gentle massage and a whispered spell before suddenly breaching the still tight ring of muscle.  Shivers ran through his body and he groaned out loud at the sensation, even though he had already felt it only a short time ago.

 

 

 

George blushed, nodding as he moved to put his face at eye level to their pricks.  Brecc was thicker than George and longer than Fred, though not freakishly so, even if he had often been teased in the showers at school that he was hung like an Abraxan.  Brecc knew both gingers might have trouble with his size at first; Fred especially because he likely hadn’t played with his arse much, if at all (and a few minutes of play with only one finger didn’t really count even if it had resulted in an orgasm), whereas George was accustomed to being fucked by Fred and therefore wouldn’t be as tight.  He withdrew his finger, then inserted it again, repeating the maneuver several times before carefully sliding in a second finger.

 

 

 

Fred shuddered and Brecc paused for a few moments to let his body adjust.  He kept a sharp eye on Fred’s face and when he saw the muscles there start to relax, he began sliding his fingers in and out again.  This time he added a little scissoring movement, trying to open the soft but still tight passage more.  Stretching spells helped, but could only do so much and needed to be used sparingly or risk permanent damage, and he was waiting to use a second one until just before he put his prick inside Fred.  After several minutes he added a third finger, pleased when Fred’s face indicated that the pain was only fleeting.  And when he brushed against the prostate, Fred’s cock began to perk up once more.

 

 

Fred clung to him, moaning as his arse was fingered; he had never really dared to try it himself.  George was sensitive enough about their relationship and being caught pleasuring himself like that would have hurt his twin. Brecc had thick fingers and a mouth-watering prick.  Unlike Warrington, Brecc had brains _and_ brawn, as well as being gorgeous. It had always seemed curious to Fred that Brecc preferred to play Quidditch as a Chaser rather than a Beater, given his burly physique, but it took all types.  Oliver, for instance, had played Keeper, first for Gryffindor and then for the Puddlemere United, but in bed he was definitely a Chaser.

 

 

 

Where the Muggle world used words like twink, bear, top and bottom, the wizarding world had Seekers who were likened to twinks, Beaters were compared to bears, while tops were Chasers and bottoms were Keepers. There were switches, of course, but most had a preferred position.

 

George was a complete Keeper; he’d never had any interest or desire in being a switch.  Fred, therefore, had kept his interest in playing Keeper to himself, but with those devious fingers plundering and pleasuring his arse… 

 

 

 

“Please,” Fred whispered between frantic snogs. “I’ve wanted this for so long…”

 

 

 

“Me? Or this situation?” Brecc asked archly.

 

 

 

Fred growled and punched him in the arm. “You, without realizing it was you, prat.”

 

 

 

“George?” Brecc called out.  George left off licking their pricks like a Muggle ice lolly to peer up at them, slightly pained at having to stop.  “Fred needs you.  He’s never had a cock inside him before, so a little distraction would be kind.”

 

 

 

“What sort of distraction?” George asked, worrying his bottom lip with his teeth.

 

 

 

“Riding him, of course.”  Brecc winked, and then grinned at George’s surprised look.

 

 

 

George blinked.  “Really?”

 

 

 

Brecc nodded, his grin morphing into a soft smile.  “I’ve supposed for a long time that you were lovers.  I had plenty of time to come to accept it, especially if I wanted to have you, George.  I wanted you first, then I realized that I had to want both of you.  I am normally a very selfish person, but I want to be right here, holding you both.  Sometimes that will mean that I get to watch you two love one another. Other times, I’ll want to use my hands and perhaps my mouth to pleasure you together.  Right now-” with one final kiss, he gently turned Fred around so that his chest was against the other’s back, with his cock sliding snugly between those luscious cheeks, “- I want Fred riding me while you ride him.”  He whispered the spell to conjure lube, knowing it would definitely be needed now.  There was no such thing as too much lubrication when it came to a first penetration **.**

Fred whimpered softly as Brecc wiggled and began to press the head of his prick inside his arse. He wasn’t small himself but Brecc’s everything was bigger, especially down there.  Even though Brecc had been working him open with his fingers, and now with another wandless spell, it was still an uncomfortable stretch, especially when that thick cockhead finally popped through his tight ring of muscle.

 

 

George waited until Brecc had the head in before he took Fred’s still hard prick in his hand and slowly lowered himself onto it, gasping as the familiar shape and girth slipped inside.  Brecc’s fingers and his orgasm had loosened him quite a bit, so it didn’t take long at all.  Once Fred was nestled inside his arse, George squeezed and rocked as he slid up and down on Fred’s cock, the way he knew his twin loved him to do.

 

 

 

Fred had never been penetrated before today.  He had George’s familiar tightness around his prick and Brecc’s prick stretching him far beyond his experience, much less wildest fantasies. Brecc’s hands settled on his hips, as he withdrew a bit before thrusting back in, a little farther this time.  Fred moaned and shuddered at the sensation as Brecc slowly but surely penetrated him, moving in careful increments, waiting a moment at each stage to let Fred’s body become accustomed to the intrusion before withdrawing a trifle and then pushing forward again, until finally his entire length was embedded in Fred’s arse. 

 

 

 

George whispered, “I told you it felt good.”

 

 

 

“Yes,” Fred replied, groaning as Brecc thrust into him again, “but it’s hard to imagine how good when we’re each other’s only lover and you are pure Keeper.” 

 

 

 

George hung his head.

 

 

 

Fred kissed him reassuringly.“I never resented you for that, Georgie.  You’re being a Keeper is just who you are.  I didn’t explore this part of myself because I didn’t want you to be hurt thinking I wanted to leave you,” he murmured before kissing his twin again.

 

 

 

Their kissing was rather stimulating; Brecc increased the speed and strength of his thrusts, whispering in Fred’s ear, “Good?”

 

 

 

Fred nodded, moaning into his twin’s mouth.

 

 

 

“More?”

 

 

 

“Harder!” Fred gasped as he reluctantly broke off kissing George. “Oh Merlin, so good!”

 

 

 

As Brecc drilled his prostate, Fred couldn’t hold back his orgasm and erupted into George with a strangled shout.

 

 

 

George groaned and came hard, splashing them both.

 

 

 

Fred’s tightening as he came ripped an orgasm out of Brecc as he claimed the usually more aggressive ginger.  Fred sagged, leaning back against Brecc’s chest.

 

 

 

George had more experience as a Keeper and recovered first, rolling off of Fred and curling up on Brecc’s left side.

 

 

 

Brecc let Fred stay sprawled on top of him as they collapsed onto the bed, only to have him turn around a moment later to lie on Brecc’s chest so they could languidly kiss.  As they kissed, Brecc felt something pass between them, a spark of some kind.  While his attraction had been primarily to George in the beginning, knowing that Fred liked it rough while George preferred tender was an interesting dichotomy.  Eventually, they would have to get ready and floo to St. Mungo’s to visit Wayne and Clary but for now, cuddling was best for his gingers.  As well as for him.  Brecc planned to finger Fred again with some pain relieving potion since his arse wasn’t used to being fucked. If his lover orgasmed again, what was the harm?

 

 

 

Fred had been grateful that Brecc understood his love and lust for his brother, even encouraged it, but he had to admit that he really did like having their lover’s big prick balls deep in his arse and pounding into him.

 

 

XooooooX

 

 

Coraline was in History of Magic when she felt it…

 

 

 

Two powerful Dark Forces becoming One…

 

 

 

The shockwave, and the resulting sense of doom, caused her to fall into unconsciousness.

 

 

 

Mal, who was seated beside her, turned when her friend let out a moan of despair and then fell onto her, nearly dislodging them both from their chairs.  Mal barely managed to halt their fall; they were only saved because of her Quidditch reflexes. At least that’s what she told herself; it had nothing to do with having learned at a young age how to move quickly to avoid getting hit or pinched or tripped.

 

“Cora!”  Awkwardly, she cradled the still body of her best friend.  “Cora, what’s wrong?”

 

 

Worried when there was no response, she called out the name of one of Charlie’s house elves. “Jocy!” 

 

Around them, their classmates were only now realising that something was going on.  A few, the ones closest to them, stood up with concern on their faces, but most simply craned their necks, trying to see what was happening.  Professor Binns, of course, seemed oblivious as he droned on about the Third Goblin War.

 

 

Jocy appeared a moment later. “What Little Mistress be needing?”

 

 

 

“A Healer!  Something happened to Cora and I was sitting right here!”

 

 

 

With that frantic request, the little house elf disappeared with a pop.  Mal thought about calling Coraline’s betrothed, but figured she could send for him after she knew more about the situation. That didn’t keep her from glowering at her classmates with suspicion.

 

 

 

Maia Greengrass and Heather Wilkins seemed only to be annoyed at their disruption of class but that didn’t stop Mal from suspecting them of some involvement in Coraline’s collapse.  While they hadn’t been involved in her having been bullied, they’d never really tried to stop it either. Besides, Heather was a Wilkins and her mother was a Flint-Brown; her maternal cousins were Marcus Flint as well as Oliver Wood and Lavender Brown.  That is, if the gossip in Slytherin was true, and there was no reason to think it wasn’t.  Mal never had decided if Heather is more like her bully cousin Marcus or indifferent like Lavender, but she knows she isn't much like Oliver.  Mal can't trust her; Heather's relationship to Marcus makes her a viable suspect if this is indeed an attack on Cora.

 

 

XooooooX

 

 

Blaise was watching his babies play.  Athena and Taurus were climbing all over Carey, who was now his father-in-law now that he and Arthur were legally Bonded.  Other than a few snogs and embraces, Blaise doubted either elder wizard had done more until Arthur’s divorce from Molly came through, Gryffindor honor and Hufflepuff loyalty likely having ensured their restraint.  Blaise hadn’t really had the option of restraint, he mused now.  It wasn’t anything he regretted, or dwelt upon; he loved his babies and his mate.  It just sometimes crossed his mind to wonder how his life would have been different if he weren’t half-Veela.

 

 

 

Then Blaise’s cup fell from his fingers with a clatter as he was suddenly, without warning, drawn into a vision.

 

 

 

Standing on a desolate moor were He-Who...no, _Voldemort,_ and Dumbledore.  They were swearing an Oath of Alliance to kill Harry Potter and his allies.  Both wanted Severus’ as well as Draco’s blood spilt for choosing Harry over them.  The two of them challenged the other to a chess match of sorts; the first one whose pawn managed to claim Severus’ life won the match.

 

Blaise woke with a start.  Winky was there with a steaming cup of chocolate. His spilt tea and the broken cup had already vanished.

 

His babies seemed to have failed to notice anything wrong. Carey, on the other hand, was gazing at him with concern.

 

Blaise rose unsteadily, gulping down the chocolate Winky handed him once he got to his feet.  Its heat warmed his cold insides.  “I have to… see Draco…”  And his adopted brother’s godfather: Severus.

 

He really did not enjoy having to impart this news.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?


End file.
